Dance-making and trouble-making are more fun with others. Collaborating with professional guest artists, Rowan University students created three unique, movement-driven performances with shared themes that have become one dance production: Making Trouble. Performances are December 9 – 12, 2010; Thursday – Saturday at 8 pm and Sunday at 3pm in Tohill Theatre.
Rowan dance faculty Dr. Leslie Elkins, Melanie Stewart and Paule Turner facilitated collaborations between guest choreographers Eun Jung Choi, Makoto Hirano and Jodi Obeid, designers and students to develop the individual works. Each “experiment” explores the question: When given the same costume, text and sound concepts, how do artists begin making dance and what kind of trouble will develop?
The three Philadelphia-based artists offer varied experiences to the students. A native of Korea, Choi has worked with numerous collaborators and dance companies throughout the United States, Germany Sweden, Mexico and many others, performing internationally in Asia, Europe, and North America. Her choreography has been presented regionally (CEC, nEW Festival) and around the world. As a teacher, she has taught at NC Governor’s School and North Carolina School of the Arts; CICO, 72 horas de verano en movimiento and Movimiento Escénico/Laborame (Mexico); Little Red House School and PS 137, as well as various community and musical theater workshops in and around New York City. Hirano is a multidisciplinary artist and founder of the performance group OMNiBUS. His work has been presented nationally in numerous venues and festivals. In addition to performance work, he is a facilitator with Artists U, an artist-run professional development program and has served as a panelist for the Philadelphia Cultural Fund. Obeid is a choreographer, performance artist and educator obsessed with the study of movement of all kinds. Since her arrival in Philadelphia, she has produced work at the Painted Bride Theater, for the Mascher Space IN FLUX series, the CEC New Edge Mix, Glue Series and in collaboration with Stadium/ Praxis, a puppet theater. Her work has been presented in Washington DC, Toronto, North Carolina and in Belgium at various festivals. She danced here in Philadelphia with anonymous bodies, and SCRAP Performance Group among others.
Making Trouble is produced by the College of Fine & Performing Arts and the Department of Theatre & Dance. The creative team includes Heidi Barr (costume design), Michael Kiley (sound design), Robert Thorpe (lighting design) and Tom Fusco (technical direction).
Tohill Theatre is located in Bunce Hall on the campus of Rowan University, Route 322 in Glassboro, NJ. Tickets are $10, general admission; and $5 for seniors, non-Rowan students, Rowan staff & alumni. Rowan students are admitted free with valid ID. For tickets and information, visit www.rowan.edu/theatredance or call the box office at (856) 256-4545.
