Beach balls and dancers alike will glide through the air at the Department of Dance, Drama and Film’s annual Fall Dance Concert, held Dec. 13–15 at 8 p.m. in the Hill Theater.
The concert features seven new dances and one dance-film conceived and created by Kenyon students.
Inspired by the creative freedom of youth, Catherine Kelly ’19 choreographed a dance that employs colorful beach balls and the lively music of Aretha Franklin and Lesley Gore. She hopes the piece will encourage the audience to revisit the playfulness and freedom of their childhoods.
“After childhood, we are deprived of time to explore our world without a goal or directive in mind, as young adults’ play is usually intentional and conventional,” Kelly said. “I wanted to use a ball, the most stereotypical childhood toy, and see what we could create with both the creative attitude of a child and the life experiences of young women in mind.”
In addition to Kelly, student choreographers include Gabriela Marx ’21, juniors Mackenna Goodrich, Katie Lensmeyer, Naomi Lofchie and Isa Mojares, and Nadine Hemming ’19. The concert also features a dance-film created by Jordan Wetzel ’19.
For her choreography, Hemming drew inspiration from her double major of classics and dance. Her duet, “See(k),” is rooted in the fateful legend of Orpheus and Eurydice and explores the concept of seeing and knowing.
Goodrich’s piece, “I See Them. They Run,” addresses the intersection between athletics and dance. The idea for the piece came after a summer of work at Chicago’s Hubbard Street Dance, where Goodrich was responsible for a group of energetic, athletic young dancers. “All of it was so athletic and so challenging that I wanted to bring some of that momentum to Kenyon,” Goodrich said.
The concert is co-directed by Professor of Dance Julie Brodie, Professor of Dance Balinda Craig-Quijada and Assistant Professor of Dance Kora Radella. Tickets are $2. To reserve tickets, contact the box office at 740-427-5546, open 1–5 p.m. Monday–Friday and one hour before performances.