KENNESAW, Ga. | Nov 8, 2024

KSU Dance Company will perform original choreography of KSU Dance faculty

Kennesaw State University (KSU) Department of Dance is pleased to present “Properties of Being” Nov. 14-16 at the KSU Dance Theater on the Marietta campus. The program will include both classical and contemporary dance, highlighting the universal need to move, connect—and simply be—with others. Featuring five original works by KSU Dance faculty, some with choreographic input from students, the concert will be performed by the KSU Dance Company. 

Chair and professor Marsha Barsky explains that this concert of unparalleled artistry and innovation—with its own unique language—defines the Department of Dance. “Dance may be thought of as a kind of language; it’s innate and distinctly human, and expresses thoughts, emotions, qualities, and characteristics. In this concert, we’ll explore properties such as individuation, connection, ephemerality, temporality, resilience, persistence, and even transcendence.” 

Lecturer Billy Hawkains III is using his work, “Another Version of Events” as a form of language. He says that his work “gives us a powerful voice to express, challenge, and reflect on the world around us. I hope that, after seeing ‘Properties of Being,’ that the audience will feel dance’s transformative power.” 

Humans want to be seen, says associate professor McCree O’Kelley. “My work, ‘Wallflowers,’ explores the universal need to move and connect with others. Even if, at times, we are more comfortable sitting on the sidelines, the desire to be seen is still inside us.” 

Associate professor Andrea Knowlton wants her dancers to be seen in “one of our most diverse shows ever, as every work is completely original.” She sought to create a closeness with her students—one filled with trust, vulnerability and massive risk taking—as she collaborated with the dancers in the choreography for “Lockstep.” It was important to her to create a “safe environment for my dancers in the rehearsal process that has led to fearless exploration on stage. The full range of artistic research that takes place at KSU Dance will be on display at our beautiful theater. It’s wonderful to celebrate our unique visions in this shared show.” 

Limited term assistant professor Shannon Alvis agrees with Knowlton on shared visions. To build a shared vision on “Constellation,” she wanted to get to know the dancers, even though they had just met each other when rehearsals began at the start of the semester. The result in “Constellation” is an “exploration of honoring the individual, and how each one of us contributes to the whole.” Working on this, she explains, required looking, listening, trusting and patience, not only from herself, but also from the dancers. “Offering each other this space in the process allowed for quiet detail and honest connection. I hope the audience will have the same opportunity for quiet contemplation.” 

The audience may gaze quietly and reflectively at the stars during “Constellation,” but they will want to tap along with the dancers in part-time instructor Tammy Everhart’s lively and athletic Tap piece, “Level Up.” She explains that it is important to continue the legacy of Tap dance, as “it preserves and honors a powerful art form rooted in African American history, resilience, and cultural expression. To my knowledge, this is the first concert Tap piece to be presented on stage at KSU, and we are grateful to KSU Dance for recognizing Tap’s value and importance.” 

Students in the Department of Dance may take advantage of numerous opportunities to explore and perform new works and ideas. “Studying dance is like learning a new language…to witness this process is to partake in a powerful and universal artform that goes beyond the spoken word,” adds Barsky. 

Don’t miss “Properties of Being” Nov. 14 at 7:30 p.m. and Nov. 15-16 at 8 p.m. at the KSU Dance Theater on the Marietta campus. Tickets are available online or by calling 470-578-6650. 

--Kathie Beckett