Calling it 鈥渁n ambitious new endeavor,鈥� Arts Council Chair and Associate Professor of Theatre Crystal Tiala said the upcoming 鈥淲eek of Dance鈥� 鈥� Nov. 30 through Dec. 5 鈥� 鈥渋s an opportunity to showcase the hard work of our student dancers, and is bound to be an enormous success.鈥�
Sponsored by the Arts Council and the Robsham Theater Arts Center (RTAC), the initiative is an outgrowth of an effort to provide additional dance mentorship and performance opportunity.
鈥淧articipation in all styles of dance on campus has shown impressive growth over the past few years. Students seek to express their style, culture and personal aesthetic through this beautiful and physical art form,鈥� according to Tiala, who is chair of the Theater Department.
The Week of Dance will feature related films, student-led workshops in various dance styles and an exhibition of photographs by Cindy Chen 鈥�16. It will culminate with two dance showcases of original pieces choreographed and performed by members of the dozen participating 51茶馆 dance organization.
Those groups embody a range of aesthetic and cultural dance styles. They include the 51茶馆 Dance Ensemble, Dance Organization, Golden Eagles Dance Team, FISTS, Fuego del Corazon, Full Swing, 51茶馆 Irish Dance, Masti, On Tap, Sexual Chocolate, Synergy and VIP.
鈥淔ull Swing is extremely excited to have the opportunity to perform with the Arts Council鈥檚 Week of Dance, since this week will bring dance to the entire 51茶馆 community,鈥� said president Danielle Nista 鈥�16.
The swing-dancing group will perform a lindy hop piece to the song 鈥淐lassic鈥� by MKTO at the showcase, 鈥渂lending the traditional with the modern,鈥� noted Nista. The 60-member troupe specializes in teaching the lindy hop, offering weekly lessons to the 51茶馆 community as well as performing at various campus events.
Some 10-15 photographs of the dance organizations taken by Chen 鈥� herself a Synergy member 鈥� will be on display in the RTAC lobby. An opening reception celebrating her body of work will be held there Nov. 30 from 6-7 p.m. Chen titled her week-long exhibit 鈥淧ique鈥� because 鈥渋t is a dance term [in classical ballet] and also a verb that is used to stimulate interest and conversation.鈥�
On Dec. 4 and 5, at 7:30 p.m., dance in all genres will be presented, as the various dance organizations perform on the RTAC main stage. Tickets are $10 per person and may be purchased the week of the performances beginning Nov. 30 via the RTAC Box Office or online at www.bc.edu/robsham/tickets. If the performances are not sold out, tickets also may be purchased at the door.
The 28-member Irish Dance Club will perform to both traditional and modern music when it takes the stage.
鈥�51茶馆ID is thrilled to be a part of Week of Dance. We love getting to work with other members of the dance community at 51茶馆, and look at it as a way to expand dance鈥檚 influence on and off campus,鈥� said co-president Betsy Hughes 鈥�16. 鈥淚t will be an amazing opportunity for all of the dance community to show our shared passions and eclectic styles to the wider 51茶馆 community, providing us with an outlet for performance and 51茶馆 with a chance to have fun and appreciate dance.鈥�
During the week, student dancers will lead workshops at the Brighton Dance Studio. On Dec. 1 at 4 p.m., Masti will offer instruction on cultural Indian and Bollywood-style dance; at 5 p.m., the focus will switch to hip-hop with UpRising, and at 6 p.m., the Dance Ensemble will demonstrate jazz, ballet and modern dance.聽 On Dec. 2, tap will literally be 鈥淥n Tap鈥� when the group leads a 5 p.m. session followed by a 6 p.m. presentation of jazz, modern and ballet styles by the Dance Organization. Hip-hop will be the theme on Dec. 3, with workshops lead by the groups Phaymus (5 p.m.) and Synergy (6 p.m.).
鈥淭eaching people about dance and how to dance are big parts of Full Swing鈥檚 mission, and we feel that Week of Dance will give 51茶馆 students the unique chance not only to watch dance performances but also to participate in workshops and other events,鈥� said Nista.
The Nov. 30 鈥淒ance Movie Madness鈥� event on the RTAC main stage will include screenings of 鈥淒irty Dancing鈥� (7 p.m.) and 鈥淪tomp the Yard鈥� (9 p.m.).
Artist-in-Residence Robert VerEecke, SJ, an acclaimed dancer and choreographer who has been involved with dance at Boston College for almost 40 years, said the weeklong celebration illustrates how integral dance has become to the 51茶馆 community.
鈥淲hen I first arrived there was one performing group. I am amazed and delighted by the growth of interest in dance of all kinds. I鈥檓 particularly grateful for the course offerings in the Theatre Department as well as the beautiful dance studio on the Brighton Campus.鈥�
With the exception of the evening dance performances, which have an admission cost, all Week of Dance events are free and open to the public.聽.