March 21, 2023 – Audiences can expect to be delighted when the Dance Theatre of Santa Fe performs traditional West African dance, hip hop, classical ballet, contemporary modern and musical theatre dance styles in the annual “Elements of Style” performances at 7:30 p.m. Friday-Saturday, March 31-April 1, 2023, in the Jackson N. Sasser Fine Arts Hall at the Northwest Campus of Santa Fe College (SF), 3000 NW 83 Street, Gainesville.
Tickets are $15 for adults; $9 for seniors, students, military service members and children 12 and under; and free for SF students, faculty and staff with college ID cards. Tickets are available from the Fine Arts Hall box office at 352-395-4181 or online from Showpass at showpass.com/elements-of-style-2/.
“These performances showcase all the styles we teach in the Dance Program,” explained Melissa Brenner, the college’s new full-time Assistant Professor of Dance and Director of Dance Theatre of Santa Fe (DTSF). “Because of the incredible connections that Alora Haynes has made with dance professionals, we are able to feature two works choreographed by notable guest artists—one piece created by Earl Mosley of Diversity of Dance and another piece by Beatriz Garcia and Armando Brydson with Dimensions Dance Theatre in Miami.”
Haynes, a professional ballerina who led the Dance Program before becoming Chairperson of SF’s Fine and Performing Arts and Entertainment Technology Department, is retiring this year after 35 years at the college. She leaves a legacy of bringing renowned dancers and choreographers who have built lasting relationships with the SF Dance Program.
In addition to the two pieces choreographed by guest artists, the program includes five dances created by SF Dance Program faculty members. Jessie Dominguez, former principal dancer with the Cuban National Ballet and Gainesville’s Dance Alive! National Ballet, has choreographed a classical ballet variation on “Swan Lake.” Mohamed DaCosta, master African drummer and teacher, will drum for a traditional West African dance. Herman Ramos is contributing a hip-hop dance. New faculty member Calypso Haddad has set a musical theatre piece that will be included in “City of Angels,” the upcoming summer musical. Haddad and Ramos are former SF students and DTSF alumni. Brenner has created a new contemporary modern dance.
“Some of the students in DTSF are dance majors and others are not,” Brenner said, “but by participating in these performances they all gain skills, such as understanding professionalism and community, that can be used in every facet of their lives—and our dance majors get a glimpse of what a professional career would look like by performing with direction from instructors and guest artists.”
“Elements of Style” is organized and sponsored by the Santa Fe College Fine and Performing Arts and Entertainment Technology Department. For more information, call Brenner at 352-395-4194. For more information about tickets, call the SF Box Office at 352-395-4181.