KENNESAW, Ga. | Oct 26, 2021

Evening of contemporary and classical choreography includes two guest artists

Kennesaw State University’s Department of Dance will present “Forces of Grace” Nov. 12-13 at the Marietta Dance Theater. This evening of contemporary and classical choreography features original works by two faculty members and two guest artists, culminating in one of the strongest performances ever produced by the Department of Dance. 

Israel Institute Visiting Artist Ido Gidron brings his work “Nadir” to the stage in which he examines constant growth and healing. As this semester’s Artist in Residence, Gidron says his new piece relates to the “rock bottom” feeling as a source of inspiration, especially coming out of a pandemic.  (In Hebrew, nadir means both rock bottom and extremely special.) “Nadir” examines how feeling that one is at rock bottom may also be a source of inspiration. He created the work specifically for KSU students, becoming an integral part of the Dance community while sharing his own aesthetic and art-making practices.

“Thanks to KSU, the Israel Institute, and philanthropists Norman and Lindy Radow, I was able to come here from Israel and share my story, to exchange knowledge, and to practice art and dance. I am very honored to be here as a guest artist, and to be able to create a piece together with this talented group of dancers,” says Gidron. 

Marsha Barsky, Chair of the Department of Dance, believes that a contemporary guest artist provides a crucial element for Dance students. She said Gidron has bolstered the mission of Dance while “expanding knowledge of modern Israel and recognizing that Israel is one of the nexuses for the contemporary dance scene.” 

Guest artist Heath Gill, Resident Choreographer from Atlanta’s Terminus Modern Ballet Theatre, brings time to the stage in “Elapse,” which explores ancient Greeks’ perspectives of the passage of time, Chronos and Kairos.

Lisa K. Lock, Artistic Director and faculty member, and faculty member Andrea Knowlton also created original works. Lock’s “Flight Feathers” is an exploration of the migration of a new community that integrates foreignness into a supportive flight pattern. Knowlton’s work, “Proximity Distorts,” explores scenic design through kinetic, modular plexiglass structures that are operated by the performers in a magical and shifting world. 

“Forces of Grace” will take patrons “on various journeys and into the worlds of different choreographers. It will carry them into a new world, a different world from their every day lives,” says Lock. 

Barsky adds, “What’s special about this moment is renewal, the return to live art, and celebrating the artform. The dances all celebrate the process of working together in community, as appreciators of live art.” 

Tickets for “Forces of Grace” are $15-$20. To buy tickets, please visit KSUDance.com. To coincide with Gidron’s residency, the KSU Department of Dance and The Breman Museum will present an Israeli Dance Panel on November 2 at 7 p.m.; the panel is free and available in-person or virtually.   

--Kathie Beckett