For students in Elon University’s dance program, fall is synonymous with the main stage show, “Dancing in the Black Box,” which runs through Homecoming weekend this year.
Jen Metcalf, this year’s director and assistant professor of dance, said Homecoming is a perfect time for the show, especially this year since it showcases work from choreographers with different connections to Elon.
“We’re using faculty work up against student works,” Metcalf said. “The student works were chosen from the informal showing at Choreography Salon, and we actually chose five works because there were so many strong works. We even have a piece — a duet — choreographed by Michelle Micca, a 2010 alumna who graduated from our program and has been working in New York City.”
Alongside Metcalf and Micca is Jane Welford, professor of dance, who also choreographed several pieces.
Joining the many Elon-connected choreographers is a special guest choreographer, Gaspard Louis. Born and raised in Haiti, Louis is globally known for work with his company, Pilobolus Dance Theatre, which plays with light and shadows to create complex images on backdrops for their pieces. Louis currently directs The American Dance Festival’s outreach program, which offers free dance courses to young performers. Metcalf said she has been a fan of Louis’ work for a while and was thrilled when he agreed to choreograph a piece for the show.
One of the dancers in Louis’ pieces will be junior Kate Phinney. Phinney said she originally thought she would not be chosen for the piece because she auditioned with the male-choreographed part. Louis chose her, she said, because of her strength and ability to dance in both male and female-choreographed parts.
[quote] [Gaspard] Louis knew nothing about me, and I had to show him I had what he was looking for." - Junior Kate Phinney, dance major working with Gaspard Louis [/quote]
For Phinney, auditioning and working with Louis has been a crash course in the real world of dance, giving her insight that she may not have received from another Elon dance experience.
“The most exciting part was the real audition scenario,” Phinney said. “Louis knew nothing about me, and I had to show him I had what he was looking for. It has been a real world experience for me. Louis has been energetic and positive. He challenges [his dancers] as a professional would.”
This will be Metcalf’s second year directing the annual show and it is a position she has grown to enjoy. She said the experience allows her to help dancers of all levels get their work seen and voices heard.
“It is really exciting to organize a dance production and have such strong student work next to faculty work,” Metcalf said. “The pieces have different voices, and each should be heard, no matter what level they’re at. When you organize a dance concert, it’s like organizing a dinner party. Every dish is important. It just depends on how you serve it.”
As assistant to the director, senior Julie Crothers has been helping Metcalf with the logistics of the show — communicating with the rest of the Department of Performing Arts about show dates and times and acting as a liaison between Metcalf and the dancers. Crothers said this position has given her insight into a part of the dance world she has never considered.
“It allows me to see the bigger picture of everything that must go into making a dance concert come together and be successful,” Crothers said. “I’ve learned a lot through working with a variety of different people about things I never would have thought of had I just been a performer or choreographer.”
[quote] When you organize a dance concert, it’s like organizing a dinner party. Every dish is important. It just depends on how you serve it." - Jen Metcalf, director of "Dancing in the Black Box" [/quote]
Last year, 33 dancers dueled with two emotions rarely seen together for a single performance: humor and violent aggression. The eight pieces ranged from intense fight-like scenes to lighter and less tense performances. In 2011, “Dancing in the Black Box” focused on dancer’s interpretations and feelings toward a particular subject. Jane Wellford, professor of performing arts, choreographed “There is a Time,” which was her artistic response to events, both positive and negative, that were currently happening around the world.
Read about the 2011 performance of "Dancing in the Black Box."
This year, Metcalf and Crothers have more in store for the audience than just an interesting and creative show.
During their Wednesday night rehearsal, Metcalf will welcome young dancers from the surrounding communities to see “Dancing in the Black Box.” These dancers will also be able to ask the performers about dancing in college, and college in general. Metcalf has been working with Maine Pointe Dancewear, a Burlington dancewear store, to sponsor a raffle for the young guests.
Metcalf taught the Dance for the Camera course as part of the Elon in LA program and brought a piece of Los Angeles back to Elon to show a different side of the dance world before the show: videos of her students.
Even the piece Metcalf choreographed has an LA influence: Betty Gold, a Los Angeles-based large-scale sculptor she met in the city while teaching the program. Metcalf will use music, movement and backdrops inspired by Gold’s artwork in her piece of the show.
Metcalf said she is very excited for the show to premiere because it offers an opportunity for the dancers and crew members involved to get experience in their various fields.
“I think the show is important for everyone involved,” Metcalf said. “It is great performance experience for the dancers. The choreographers can have their work seen. Rehearsal assistants realize they may want to take this role on in a professional company. Even the technical crew gets to practice.”
“Dancing in the Black Box” opens Nov. 7 and will show in the Black Box Theatre until Nov. 9.