By Una Tingvik-Haave, A&E Writer
Pacific Lutheran University’s annual dance concert is right around the corner. In addition to works by seven student choreographers, this year’s concert will also be comprised of two works of professional choreography by Director Paula J. Peters and guest choreographer Mary Reardon.
As with every year, a wide variety of dances will be presented on a presidium stage. There will be jazz, modern and traditional pieces.
Standing out this year is Peters’ contemporary jazz piece “Confine(less),” which is inspired by the ambition and drive of the female dancers at PLU.
“What I get a sense of from the students that I have worked with is that they want more dance,” Peters said. “I think they want more performing opportunities, and they’re quite capable of it”.
Another unique performance this year is Reardon’s piece, which expounds on the individual choices we make when taking time out for fun.
“I think this is going to be an interesting year, because we have Paula Peters,” junior Avelon Ragoonanan, one of the student choreographers, said. “This is her first time here, so some of the techniques have changed, and some of the functions of how the program was scheduled before has changed.”
One of the changes Peters has been made this year is the name of the concert. While in the past the official name of the annual dance concert has been Dance Ensemble,”this year Peters decided to change the name to Dance Concert.
“For me ‘Dance Concert’ is just how I tend to view what dance is when it is on a presidium stage in this way,” Peters said. “I like process more than I like product, so once it gets into the theater, I want it to be done professionally. I want it to be done well. So to me it’s more of a concert and not a recital.”
