New York guest artists showcase work in fall faculty dance concert

By Doreen Adamany

Works by two New York-based guest artists — internationally renowned choreographer Bill Evans and Limón dancer/teacher Nina Watt — along with faculty artists Claudia Melrose and Jin-Wen Yu will be showcased in next month’s fall faculty concert produced by the Dance Program.

It will be held at 8 p.m. Thursday-Saturday, Nov. 17-19, in the Margaret H’Doubler Performance Space in Lathrop Hall. Tickets are $12 for the general public and $8 for students, except on Thursday when student tickets are $5. All tickets will be sold at the door.

On Friday, Nov. 11, Evans will give a talk titled “Reminiscences of a Dancing Man” at the Dance Program’s weekly Friday Forum from 3:30-4:30 p.m. in the H’Doubler Performance Space. This event is free and open to the public.

“We’re very fortunate to have such talented artists visiting us this fall and teaching our students,” says Claudia Melrose, chair of the Dance Program. “Bill, artistic director of the acclaimed Bill Evans Dance Co. for 30 years, will be in residence for two weeks prior to the concert, while Nina, a 30-year veteran of the Limón Dance Co., is our visiting Henry-Bascom Professor for the semester. As you can imagine, the students are dancing up a storm.”

Evans has choreographed more than 200 works for more than 60 professional dance companies throughout the world and been awarded the Guggenheim Fellowship, numerous grants and fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts and more than 70 other awards from public and private arts agencies in the United States and Canada.

Two pieces choreographed by Evans will be presented at the concert. “Blues for My Father,” a nine-minute tap dance, will be performed by Evans, and “Walkabout,” a very rhythmic, primal, group piece with music based on sounds from Australia, will be performed by dance students.

Watt, currently artistic associate for the Limón Co., will present “A Choreographic Offering,” a movement celebration created in 1964 by master Mexican-American choreographer Josó Limón. This “theme and variation” was conceived in homage to his mentor, modern dance pioneer, Doris Humphrey.

For more information, call the Dance Program at 262-1691.