From Walk in the Dark, choreography by Sara Yuen Photo: Alec Himwich DANCE PROGRAM 2016-2017 NEWSLETTER EDITOR: DR. PURNIMA SHAH WELCOME STATEMENT FOR MICHAEL KLIËN We are thrilled that Michael Klien has joined the Duke Dance Program faculty starting January 2017. He is an internationally acclaimed chore- ographer, curator of artistic installations, festivals and events across Europe. He has been invited for various commissions, including Ballet Frankfurt, Martha Graham Dance Company, ZKM Mu- seum of Contemporary Art in Germany, and the Vienna Volksoper, and he has guest-taught at six MFA programs in European universities. His work draws on his overarching pedagogical and artistic Dance and will also offer two new courses for the 2017-18 philosophy which will contribute greatly to the year, Thinking through the Body: Becoming an Ordinary diversity of the dance curriculum. This Spring Genius, and Choreography: Order / Disorder / Organi- he offered a new course titled, Dancing States of zation / Relations (see section on new courses below for Mind: the Self, Social, and Political Practice of more details). GRADUATES k We congratulate all our graduating majors and minors!! Eufern Pan graduated with Distinction in the Dance Major, with her choreographic work titled, (Break)Through Beauty. Her work investigated the impact of societal construc- tions of ideal notions of beauty over the psyche and physical- ity of the body. For her, the four-year term at Duke was “an amazing adventure. She says, “I am now left with many happy memories. My journey with the Duke Dance Program was nothing short of eclectic – the program’s incredibly diverse of- ferings allowed me to experience dance in a multitude of ways and through this, the program enabled dance to blossom into a defining aspect of my college career. Along the way, dance has taught me how to move, how to think and process, how to react and how to act. Dance has indeed played a major role in defining and refining who I am today.” Eufern adds, “From stretching on the Ark’s warm and comfortable floor space to jazz, handing my way across Hull Studio, each moment I learned and investigated with the Dance Program defined and redefined my distinction project. Eufern Pan rehearsing for her senior distinction project. Photo by Alec Himwich GRADUATES k Among the numerable highlights, or dance con- stellations, as I call them, are those experiences that pushed me to move beyond my comfort zone, such as, undertaking African and Flamenco repertories, acquiring a deeper analytical under- standing of myself and my body at the Summer Intensive training at the American Dance Fes- tival, relishing Andrea’s semester-long warmup routine in her modern technique class, engaging in long philosophical conversations with Purn- ima and creating personal works for Novem- ber Dances concert, and finally, working on my Dance Distinction Project. These highlights all but point to a very unexpected yet very special- ized path that I embarked on during my time at Duke. I lived and breathed dance for four years, Eufern Pan performing solo in her choreographed piece, SPIRAL, and in turn dance has impacted me more than I for November Dances 2015. Photo by Alec Himwich can adequately describe. I am immensely grateful for all that the Duke Dance Program has done for me, and for now, I shall twiddle my toes and await a time when I will reinvent my galaxy of dance.” Our students surely make us proud!! Haylee Levin graduated in December 2016 major- ing in International Comparative Studies with mi- nor degrees in Dance and Linguistics. She was one of the most active performer-choreographers in the Program and took up student-leadership positions in the Dance Program throughout her term at Duke. She received the 2017 Julia Wray Memorial Dance award.blank b “Duke Dance Program was my home away from home during my time at Duke, and I couldn’t be more thankful for all of the incred- ible opportunities that it provided for me. “All of my professors in the Dance Program were instrumental to my growth over the past four years. They pushed me outside my comfort zone and inspired me to explore avenues of dance that I would have never considered to look at before. They pushed me to grow not only artistically, but also as a person Haylee Levin (on right) choreographed and danced in Unity and as an academic as well. sans Uniformity for November Dances 2016. Photo by Alec Himwich GRADUATES k One of the most memorable moments for me was having the opportunity to present my first choreo- graphic work on stage during November Dances concert during my Sophomore year. The experi- ence challenged me artistically and personally, but the entire Dance Program was to help me every step of the way and I fell in love with choreograph- ing along the way. I know that all of the lessons I learned in my academic and studio dance courses at Duke will be help me throughout everything creative that I will hope to do. I plan to continue to perform and choreograph in D.C.” Anna Katalina Bock graduated with a minor in dance Anna Katalina Bock graduated with a Minor in and danced in several mainstage concerts, including Dance and a major in Psychology. She has re- The Ocean Under (above) for November Dances 2014. ceived Honors and Awards with Phi Beta Kappa Photo by Alec Himwich Academic Honor Society, the Magna Cum Laude Academic Distinction, the Psi Chi International Honor Society in Psychology, the Dean’s List with Distinction 2016, and the Dean’s List 2013 – 2016. Congratulations to our seniors! Pictured here from the annual senior lunch are (front): Anna brought her enthusiasm and determination Ellen Herd, Eufern Pan, Anna Katalina Bock, Melissa Lee, for excellence in her work, both academic and cre- Haylee Levin, and Dance Program director, Purnima Shah. ative and strived towards thinking outside the box. (Back row): John Hanks, Andrea Woods Valdés, Barbara She asserts that “my unique blend of passions have Dickinson, Ava LaVonne Vinesett, Julie Walters, and Tyler allowed me to utilize both a scientific and artistic Walters approach to generate fresh ideas and innovative results.” Melissa Lee completed a Minor in Dance and a Major in Public Policy. Nicolena Farias Eisner minored in dance and danced in Along the Same Train of Thought for Choreo- Lab 2016 and in Two Steps Forward for November Dances 2016. Student Awards in Dance k Haylee Levin (right) Sara Yuen received the 2016-17 received the 2016-17 Clay Taliaferro Award for Julia Wray Memorial artistic and technical growth Dance Award as an undergraduate. for outstanding achievement in dance as an undergraduate student. Cindy Li received the 2016-17 Dance Writing Award. Photos by Alec Himwich Faculty Awards & Grants k For the fourth consecutive year, Keval Kaur yoga programming will be embedded in the Khalsa and Co-PI Dr. Michele Berger (Womens school day with a 7th grade social studies class & Gender Studies, UNC-CH) received funding and an 8th grade science class. for 2017-18 from the Bass Connections initia- tive for their ongoing Mindfulness in Human Keval Kaur Khalsa was awarded a Collaborative Development research. Along with Dr. Berger, Teaching Through Research Across Institutions Project Manager Elizabeth Harden, Research grant from the Office of the Dean of Arts & Sci- Manager Kibby McMahon and a team of under- ences for her course Performing Sexual Health, graduate and graduate students, Prof. Khalsa is introduced Fall 2016 as a collaboration between analyzing the effects of the Y.O.G.A. for Youth the Duke University Dance Program and UCLA’s curriculum on middle schools students’ resil- Art & Global Health Center in the Department ience, emotional regulation, mindful attention, of World Arts & Cultures/Dance. physical health and academic achievement Under the direction of Regional Coordina- using a mixed-methods approach. tor Keval Kaur Khalsa, Y.O.G.A. for Youth North For the past three years, the yoga program- Carolina was once again approved as a CAPS ming has been part of free after school pro- (Creative Artists in the Public Schools) Artist by grams at four public schools in Chapel Hill, NC. the Durham Arts Council. In 2017-18, the research team will be partnering with Phillips Middle School in Chapel Hill. The Mainstage Concerts k November Dances 2016 The ChoreoLab program was rounded out by six other pieces by Duke faculty, alumni, and students. The Dance Program’s fall dance concert November In This Window Makes Me Feel Professor Barbara Dances featured a restaging of Bill T. Jones’ iconic work, Dickinson created a sensitive yet intense response to a Power/Full, together with showcasing new works by richly interwoven score by Duke music professor, John Duke faculty, students and alumni. Supko, a collaborative engagement with the composer The Dance Program invited former Bill T. Jones/ that yielded a dance that captured the essence of the Arnie Zane Dance Company member Shayla-Vie complex musical score and journey. Jenkins for a residency in order to restage Power/Full Dance Program alumni, Elisa Schreiber, graced the for the Modern Dance Repertory. Her residency was stage with her prowess in a commanding work entitled supported by a grant from the Franklin Humanities The Performer and The Performance choreographed by Institute’s Humanities Futures Lab and the Mary Duke Kathryn Alter. Biddle Foundation. Assistant Professor Julie Janus Walters unveiled a new The concert also included a new ballet piece, Two work, Well-lit from the outside, inspired by the notion of Steps Forward, choreographed by Tyler Walters and the interplay of personal exteriors and interiors.