The Winona State University Department of Theatre and Dance presents Dancescape 2020. Dancescape, a Winona State tradition since 1990, is celebrating 30 years of dance in our community. The concert will take place on the Vivian Fusillo Main Stage in the DuFresne Performing Arts Center on Thursday, February 13, Friday, February 14, and Saturday, February 15 beginning at 7:30 p.m. all three nights.
Dancescape 2020 showcases original choreography created by faculty, students, and guest artists. The concert offers dance works in a range of movement styles from traditional to quirky contemporary; from dance theatre to hip-hop that explore and reflect current culture, social issues, and simply the joy of dance.
The program includes “Deja Trois” choreographed by artistic director, Gretchen Cohenour. “Trapped in a musical time loop, dancers deconstruct their reality, break free from stereotypes, and escape the confines of their lovesick world.” This dance theatre work is a reconstruction of the repertory piece that was selected to close the 2013 Gala Concert at the America College Dance Festival.
Guest choreographer, brooke smiley premieres “Seeing Difference,” an improvisational dance score created in collaboration with WSU dancers “in relationship with the River, first snow, the changing faces behind our mask, and society as we perceive it”. brooke is an Advancing Indigenous Performer Fellow 2019/2020 from Western Arts Alliance with lead support from the National Endowment of the Arts, and Doris Duke Foundation based in Goleta, California.
Minneapolis-based WSU dance alum and Jerome Hill Artist Fellow, Pedro Pablo Lander, created a work for WSU students while in residence entitled “Recocoilcuir (queer)” that explores the theme of “Refractive relative reality: the queer body recoils”. Winona dance artist, Sydney Swanson serves as rehearsal director for the piece.
Danielle Ricci, WSU adjunct faculty and Director of Borealis Dance Theatre in Minneapolis,
choreographed “Takin’ 5” with music by jazz great Dave Brubeck that “celebrates the time of rest and play within the everyday grind.”
‘Takin’ 5’, along with student solo works by Janae Mann and Ella Otto, will represent WSU at the American College Dance Festival in March. Additional student choreographers for this year’s production are Rebecca Braun, Jayde Grass, Katie Mullenbach, Anasia Phillips, Tatum Reitter, Delanie Stafford, and Taylor Storlie. Each piece is inspired by life experiences and original ideas.
Lighting Designers collaborating in this year’s production are faculty members Peggy Sannerud and Isaac Sawle, guest designer Samantha Heaver, and student designers Tyler Biggerstaff, Cameron Lorntson, Samantha Rosendale, Rochelle Hovde, and Wesley Holm. Costume Design is by Tracy Van Voorst.
Tickets are available online at www.wsuartstickets.com or at the box office weekdays 12:00pm – 4:00pm from Wednesday, February 5 through Friday, February 14, and one hour before each show. Tickets are $12 for the general public and $6 for students. Please call the box office at 507-457-5235 with questions regarding ticket sales.
A 30-year video history of Dancescape performances through the years is available for viewing at www.winona.edu/dancescape/default.asp.
For further information on this year’s performance, please contact Gretchen Cohenour at GCohenour@winona.edu, or the Department of Theatre and Dance (507) 457-5230.
