The Union College Department of Theater and Dance will present its Winter Dance Concerts at the Yulman Theatre March 3 and 4 at 8 p.m.
Actors and dancers collaborate on a mix of musical styles and themes ranging from a “Rent” solo to the storybook ballet “Giselle” to an original dance-theater piece focusing on French artist and writer Jean Cocteau.
One of the program's major pieces, “Jean Cocteau: Le Prince Frivole,” to music by Erik Satie, is an original creation by Miryam Moutillet, director of the college's dance program, and Charles Batson, associate professor of French, in which theater majors dance and dance students deliver lines of text.
All of the performers took the course “Staging Explorations in Theater and Dance,” co-taught by Moutillet and Batson. “We've never done this before. They're all involved in the process of what it's like to create a dance-theater piece,” said Moutillet.
“We wanted to offer a course to celebrate the new Department of Theater and Dance,” said Batson, noting the recent combination of the two programs. “We're tracing the life and work of Jean Cocteau, putting him on trial for his notions of art, and we're having a blast.”
The costumes are designed by Lloyd Waiwaiole, the set design is by Charles Steckler and the lighting design by John Miller. Susan Beckhardt '07 is the projection designer, Cooper Braun-Enos ‘06 is the sound engineer, and Charles Holiday ‘06 and Mandee Moondi '06 are the stage managers.
The dances feature Union students and two professional dancers who are members of the Union faculty, Marcus Rogers and Alexis Pangborn.
The dances scheduled are: “Giselle,” a ballet adaptation by Moutillet for principal dancers Rachael Peters '07 and Rogers and 20 corps de ballet dancers; “A Place to Land,” a modern dance for three created by Jessica Murtagh '06; “I'll Cover You,” from the Broadway show, “Rent,” choreographed and performed by Rogers; “Footloose,” a tap number for seven dancers, created by Rogers; “Hung Up,” a jazz piece by Rogers for 21 dancers, set to music by Madonna; “Agon,” the Balanchine masterpiece, adapted and performed by Pangborn; and “Canco De Bressol,” a modern Spanish piece, also adapted and performed by Pangborn.
Tickets go on sale Monday, Feb. 20 at the Yulman Theatre. The cost is $10 for general admission and $7 for Union faculty, staff and students. For more information, call the Yulman Theatre Box Office at 388-6545.