Introduction

Dance Theatre of Santa Fe College’s “Room to Dance” Has Free Admission June 2-3, 2017

Dance Theatre of Santa Fe College’s “Room to Dance” Has Free Admission June 2-3, 2017

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Photo by Matt Stamey

The Dance Theatre of Santa Fe College’s annual student-choreographed production, “Room to Dance,” will have performances at 7:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, June 2-3, 2017. This year, “Room to Dance” will be held in the Building E Auditorium instead of the Fine Arts Hall. The Auditorium is near I-75 on the west side of the Northwest Campus, 3000 NW 83 Street, Gainesville, FL.

Another change is that this year’s “Room to Dance” will have free admission. Because the Building E Auditorium holds fewer people than the Fine Arts Hall, SF Dance Professor Melissa Brenner encourages people to call the Box Office at 352-395-4181 to reserve their tickets, which they should then pick up at the Auditorium’s will call station 30 minutes before the performances.

“Because ‘Room to Dance’ comes on the heels of our summer musical, ‘A Chorus Line,’ we are simplifying the production and, in a sense, bringing it back to its early roots in the Building E Auditorium,” Brenner explained. “The Auditorium is a more intimate venue and the audience will be closer to the dancers. We’ll have the same excellent crew for sound, lighting and staging. ‘Room to Dance’ is always an audience favorite for its high-energy, enthusiastic performances.”

Creativity and collaboration are the hallmarks of “Room to Dance.” Students do everything from developing a concept for their dances to auditioning and casting the dancers, choreographing and rehearsing the pieces, and deciding on music and costumes. Throughout the process, students work with their instructors, with lighting designer Elizabeth Reynolds and with the college’s stage crew to turn their visions into dances. Students then present their dances to a committee of faculty members who decide what to include in the final program.

Faculty members have chosen the following dances for the program:

  • “Depth Over Distance,” a contemporary piece about the power of love over distance. Choreographer: Lowel Brito.
  • “The Betrayal,” a contemporary dance choreographed by Kayleen West.
  • “The Mix,” a hip-hop/bachata piece that blends Hispanic and African hip-hop cultures. Choreographer: Kelsey Ramirez.
  • “Never Gonna Stop Dancing,” a pointe duet performed to vintage 1960s soul music and a cover version of Outkast’s “Hey Ya!” Choreographed by Isais Villafane “in loving memory of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers.”
  • “Found by Angels,” a piece about overcoming depression also choreographed by Villafane.
  • “Mirror Mirror,” a dance about confidence co-choreographed by Isais Villafane and Josh White.
  • Title to be announced, an investigation of how the feeling of unwavering love and protection can restrict the fulfillment of one’s potential. Choreographer: Josh White.

Direction of the Dance Theatre of Santa Fe alternates each year between Dance Professors Tari Kendall, Sarah Harkness-Sebastian, and Brenner.

“Room to Dance” is sponsored by the SF Fine Arts Department and SF Student Leadership and Activities (Student Life).

For more information about “Room to Dance,” call Brenner at 352-395-4188.

For more information about Santa Fe College’s Fine Arts programs, call Fine Arts Department Chairperson Alora Haynes, 352-395-5296.

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Photo by Matt Stamey