Dancers to take the stage at Ted Paul Theatre

A variety of beautiful dances will be on display this weekend

All semester we have watched the theatre students show off their talents, and with the semester quickly coming to an end, that means it is time for the dancers to show what they can do.

Friday, Dec. 1 at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday, Dec. 2 at 2 p.m., the Fall Dance Concert will be performed at the Ted Paul Theatre.

The students have been learning and rehearsing and they are ready to finally perform their beautiful pieces in front of an audience. Following the concert on Dec. 3 at 2 p.m., is the Student Dance Showcase which features dances choreographed and performed by students. You do not want to miss either of these performances.

Starting with the Fall Dance Concert, there will be five choreographers. Professor and Dance Program Director Julie Kerr-Berry will have two of her pieces shown off. Assistant Professor of Dance, Daniel Stark has also choreographed two dances for the show.

Allison Doughty, a dance professor, has had her ballet students working on one beautiful piece this semester that will be shown off at the concert as well. Outside of faculty, there is a special guest artist, TU, that has one dance as well. Each of the dances is a different style and the students will look fabulous in their pieces.

With every concert, students get the chance to choreograph by themselves or with other dancers and audition for a spot in the concert. This semester there is one lucky solo that was chosen, a solo that was choreographed and will be performed by senior BFA dance candidate Abby Okoneski.

“This solo was a different experience for me because it is my own choreography set for myself,” she said. “The subject matter is also very close to my heart and means a lot to me. The emotion behind this piece is what brings it to life and is what really allows me to perform to a level I have not been able to perform to before. I look forward to sharing my choreography and performance at the dance concert and putting my heart and soul into this solo.”

The students are having a blast putting this outstanding showcase together and they cannot wait for this upcoming weekend. A junior transfer student, Merissa Roth, has loved her first semester here at Minnesota State University, Mankato and is excited about the piece that she is a part of.

“Being in Julie’s migration piece has been a different experience for me this semester. This is the first modern piece I have been in and I have learned so much with this new style,” she said. “It’s been so fun working with Julie and the other dancers, and seeing the choreography come together.”

Don’t forget about Sunday as well, which will feature all sorts of different styles from several students in the Dance Department. The talent from the students is incredible, you do not want to miss either performance.

Tickets for the Fall Dance Concert sell for $10, or $9 discounted and $8 for current MNSU students.

That’s all for the semester but there is so much more coming after the break. Look for “1984” next up in the Andreas Theatre opening on Feb. 1, followed by several more performances from the Theatre and Dance Department.