UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE MARTIN DEPARTMENT OF VISUAL & THEATRE ARTS SCHOOL OF HUMANITIES AND FINE ARTS

D.A.N.C.E. NEWSLETTER DanceArtsNewsforCollegeEntertainment Fall 2017/Spring 2018

DANCE ENSEMBLE Brings Politics and Dance to the UTM community.

FALL 2017 UTM Dance Ensemble program We're All in this Together included the usual

diversity of dance styles, but this time brought attention to current

social/cultural/personal issues in regards to race, stereotypes, and

gender. From my work, "Together" with a voice recording of excerpts from a Langston

Hughes Poem by UTM Student Kevin Laird, to "Four Women" by UTM K-12 Dance

Education Candidate Maaliya'h Austin, to "ONE" by Keinesia Mason, to finally our

Guest Artist, Michael Foley's work, "Before the Flood," the dance show connected the

importance of dance as a way to communicate the importance of community and how each of us affects who we

meet, see, and connect with in the world. As always the dance works showcased hip hop, contemporary, ballet,

lyrical, modern, & post-modern works.

FA2017 Contemporary Dance Class had dancers interpreting dances

from Modern Dance Masters, such as from Alvin Ailey's Revelations. Dancers in

DANC320/430 Contemporary II/Advanced, DANC330/430 Ballet

II/Advanced, and DANC120 Contemporary I all made an effort in

developing and honing their technique skills!

FA 2017 Going to teach dance in Martin Community! I and two

dancers from UTM Dance Ensemble, Keinesia Mason, and Kimani Subber

visited CROSSROADS TEEN CENTER to teach some dance! Here is Keinesia

Mason, Dance Education Candidate, Junior (Dual Degree in Criminal Justice/K-

12 Dance Education) teaching some moves from her recent work she

performed in Ensemble. The students had a blast!

FA 2017 Guest Artist, Michael Foley, from the University of

Southern Florida, came to teach UTM dancers one of his

dance works for our Fall 2017 Ensemble Show. Michael is a

renowned and prestigious artist who has taught and

choreographed all over the world, and who currently teaches

part time in Paris, France where he has established a class that

coincides with his work at USF. He is also an old and dear

friend who used to dance for me in NYC 90's - - ions and ions

ago, in a land far away. His work was quite a success at this

past Fall's Ensemble Show! Brought the house down. The students got so much from this experience! Thank you

Michael!

FALL 2017 GUEST TEACHER ARIEL LONG (also an UTM Dance Education Alumni!) came and taught contemporary,

as well as spoke about teaching in K-12 Nashville School Systems! It was so lovely to see her teach!

FA2017 STUDENT TEACHERS: DNED 211 Maaliyah Austin and Michaela Bland; DNED 400 Callie Cornell taught

a ballet lesson and Kimberly Schwartz confronted science and dance.

SP18 STUDENT TEACHERS: DNED 390 Maaliyah Austin, Michaela Bland, Dedrick Harvey, and Keinesia Mason

brought attention to how dance makes you think! Martin Middle schoolers were presented with 2 very different

dance lessons pertaining to CREATE and PERFORMANCE: 1) choreographic devices, and 2) improvisation-both

help with building confidence, cooperative and problem solving skills, in addition to learning different movement

styles and techniques.

DNED 471-472 From Martin Middle in the Fall to now Full-Time Student Teaching Callie Cornell (Hillwood HS and

Lebanon HS pictured), Kimberly Schwartz (Fulton Middle & High School/KY and Dresden Elementary pictured)

Spring 2018 Dance Ensemble Show was, yet, another interesting show! 8 dances together with 8 recorded voices

throughout the show sharing their thoughts on dance. The show called

Individuality seemed to be a hit with many students who saw the show! We

saw dances choreography by Alyssa Salazar

(Freshman Dance Education), Anna Lax-Gatti

(Sophomore Visual

Arts Studio/Dance

Minor), Hector

Ramirez (Music/Dance Minor), and Kimani Subber

(Communications/Dance Minor). As the reviewer from

The Pacer said:

Fluid movements and a seemingly deep connection between dancers made the entire

show one in a million. The performers showed a love for their art and their fellow

performers, the bond they all shared was nothing less than astonishing.

What's coming next? UTM DANCE DAYS!

Keinesia Mason together with Michaela Bland are

developing a 3 day dance days event that will bring

dancers ranging from age 13-21 to UTM to take

various dance classes!!! June 6-8 as part of Summer

Program Development through the offices of Debbie

Mount. Jayla Brown, Keinesia Mason, and Michaela

Bland, in addition to myself will be teaching a full

day of dance classes on Tuesday June 7, with half a

day of classes on June 8. UTM Dance will be alive

and well in June! If you are interested in this please

contact either myself Director of Dance Days Event

(smccormick@utm.edu) or Ms. Debbie Mount

(dmount@utm.edu) for further information. You may also inquire with Keinesia Mason (keiamaso@ut.utm.edu, Student Coordinator

of Event) or Michaela Bland (miclblan@ut.utm.edu, Assistant Coordinator of Event) about the types of classes, times, and fees.