With themes of isolation and loss but also humor and celebration, this spring’s Dance Concert explores life’s extremes. Last spring, Dance Concert was the last major event on campus before Milton had to shut down due to the pandemic. This year, the event is fully virtual with more than 40 student dancers who will perform 15 dances choreographed by students.
“It’s a smaller show, but feels like a bigger undertaking because of the way we are producing it,” says Kelli Edwards, Performing Arts Department chair.
The performance showcases modern dance, ballet, Latin dance, and an Irish dance. All the dances are being filmed—some in person on the King Theatre stage, some in more of a dance film format, and others in a Zoom format with dancers individually in their spaces. Edwards says the student choreographers have “embraced the format and are utilizing all the ways they can film.”
Edwards says faculty member Evan DelGaudio has been her key partner in managing the production and editing of all the films. With some dancers remote and others in person, but on campus at different times, Edwards says, “any plans we had about rehearsing and filming have had to change and evolve numerous times.”
Despite the tricky logistics, Edwards says she is happy that they met their main goal, which was to make sure the “shows were accessible to any students as performers or as technical supporters, no matter where they are in the world. It was important that the equity was there.”
Dance Concert will premiere on Thursday evening, March 4 and there will be a viewing party on Friday evening March 5. The performances will be available online throughout that weekend. More details to follow.
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