Repertory concert will mix solos, duets, trios

by Kim Gower, contributing writer

The JMU dance department is bringing in the dance program at Ohio University to share in a concert tomorrow and Saturday night. The “DanceShare” concert will feature works by students, faculty and guest artists from both schools.

Shane O’Hara, associate professor of dance, is directing this concert and other faculty members are also helping to produce this event.

“[DanceShare] is the concept of bringing in another dance program of another region to share in a dance concert in an atmosphere that is not competitive,” O’Hara said. “This is not the first time JMU has produced a concert with another university. It is something we do every other year, sometimes other universities have reciprocated, for example, the Virginia Repertory Company has performed at Shenandoah University before.”

While the students from Ohio are here, they will also participate in dance classes, and faculty from Ohio will teach master classes.  

This concert is not composed of just student performances. Roxann Morgan, a part-time member of the JMU dance faculty, will be performing a solo and Ohio is also having faculty perform.

“This is another chance to see faculty perform other than the New Dance Festival,” O’Hara said. The concert will be a mix of solos, duets, trios and a larger group piece.  

JMU’s pre-professional student dance company, the Virginia Repertory Company, will be performing a group piece choreographed by guest artist, Gwen Ritchie. She is the director of LabCo, a dance company in Pittsburgh. 

Junior dance major, Meghan Amoroso is performing in Ritchie’s piece.

“It’s a piece that requires a great deal of stamina,” she said.  “The piece has various movement qualities that switch constantly. This is an exciting piece to perform as a company — it requires a great deal of trust.”

According to Amoroso, there are many lifts, falls and movements in which the dancers need to trust each other. This piece has a very physical and athletic style in the choreography.

Senior dance major Jess Burgess is performing a solo titled “On the Way.” She has been working on this piece since her sophomore year.

“It is a piece about moving forward through the unexpected experiences we all encounter in life,” Burgess said. Her solo has seen many changes as she has grown as a person and artist in these past few years.

“I performed this piece in Springfield, Massachusetts at the White Mountain Summer Dance festival this summer and am extremely excited to do it here at JMU for DanceShare,” she said.

Many people come to modern dance concerts never being to one before and don’t know what to expect. O’Hara encourages  the audience “to know that it’s a repertory concert, each piece is different…do not try to connect all the pieces, they are separate. People try to piece them together but instead think of it as reading a bunch of short stories, they are all individual.”

The concert will take place Friday and Saturday night, at 8pm, in Godwin Hall, room 355. Tickets are $3 with JAC card and $6 general admission.