Preview: Annual Spring Concert, "Jazzed"

The University Dancers have been training since August, in preparation for their Annual Spring Concert, to take place this weekend.

The show entitled, Jazzed, opens on Thursday evening at 7:30, with performances on Friday and Saturday evening at 7:30 and closes with a performance on Sunday at 2:00 p.m. All the performances will take place in the Alice Jepson Theatre, located in the Modlin Center for the Arts.

According to the Festival Artistic Coordinator, Myra Daleng, the show features 17 student dancers with choreography by an array of guest artists."This year, thanks to the Tucker Boatwright Grant, we were able to hire internationally renowned choreographers to choreograph some of the shows most exhilarating pieces," Daleng said.

The Tucker Boatwright Grant is a University sponsored grant that circulates around to the Department of Dance every six years. According to Daleng, the dancers were able to work with choreographers from the American Dance Theater, Buglisi Dance Theatre, Oakland Ballet Company, Complexions Contemporary Ballet Company and many other companies across the country.

Seniors, Katie Nunziata and Keely Naughton also choreographed their own pieces for the concert.

"The audience can expect to see a very versatile and upbeat performance," Nunziata said.

According to Daleng, this is the first University Dancers Spring Concert to be performed almost entirely with live music.

"We are very excited for the live music by Daniel Clarke and Friends," Daleng said. "It will provide such an interesting dynamic between the audience and the dancers."

According to senior, Emma Sullivan, the University Dancers are trained in Jazz, Modern Dance, and Ballet, but the choreographed pieces for the show will also include Tap Dance and Contemporary techniques.

"Although the dancers are all trained in Jazz, many of the pieces are totally different to what they have performed before," Daleng said, "they had to really step outside of their comfort zones when learning the dances."

According to the Modlin Box Office, 986 tickets have already been sold for Friday, Saturday and Sunday performances.

According to the Modlin Center website, tickets are free for students and $13 for faculty. They are available for purchase at the Modlin Center Box Office or at the University Dancers' table in the Tyler Haynes Commons on Wednesday.

Contact reporter Nabila Khouri at nabila.khouri@richmond.edu.