Change has come to the Dance and Theater department. Not only is the department working from the department is working out of Visual and Performing Arts Center, and will perform on March 12 and 13 said Dance and Theater department head Warren Lucas.
Lucas said that the performance would be a collection of dance performances in styles that range from contemporary and jazz to hip hop.
DASB Senate President Marlo Custodio will be performing spoken word with his group “The Four Elements.”
Prior to this performance, all the dances were choreographed by guests and staff choreographers. This quarter the students will be choreographing their own dances. “This will be a good technical production as well; we have equipment that we have not used yet like moving lights,” said Lucas.
“All the students are given the chance to choreograph and perform,” he said. There are 40 students performing the work of 12 choreographers, some of whom are collaborating.
According to Lucas, only a small percentage of the students who come through the department “professionally pursue dancing and theater; most continue amateur performances as a hobby and way to de-stress their lives.”
Many of the students who are performing in and choreographing for this performance are exploring their own interests. Caitlin Tiffany, a psychology major, jumped at the chance to choreograph a dance when Lucas suggested it to students. “There are a lot basic dance movements that you build up to create a dance,” said Tiffany.
“I’m really excited about performing and working with my fellow dancers, and seeing all our hard work come together,” she said.
Since the theater department does not have a full-time instructor, Lucas, who comes from a dance background has taken on being the head of both departments. Thus the current emphasis is on dance.
General Admission for both nights is $15, and more information can be found about the dance and theater department at their Web site www.deanza.edu/dance/. Lucas plans to have one big performance in fall, winter and spring of each year.
