Brown University Department of Theatre Arts and Performance Studies presents Commencement Dance 2017 Saturday May 27 Produced by Michelle Bach-Coulibaly Battleworks Etude Choreography by Robert Battle All I Need Choreography by Andrew Stone ‘18, Megan Gessner ‘20, Nomvula Mbambo ‘17.5, Jewel Brown ‘19, and Seneca Meeks ‘20 We Just Wanna Choreography by Stanley Muñoz ‘17 Memories of Life and Death Choreography by Gwi Young Bae Marakadon Choreography by Michelle Bach-Coulibaly and traditional --INTERMISSION-- RiverRun Choreography by Michelle Bach-Coulibaly and New Works/World Traditions Production Staff Production Director ...................................................... Barbara Reo Marketing Coordinator .............................................. Paul Margrave Technical Director / Lighting Designer ......................... Timothy Hett Stage Manager ..................................................... Margaret Hale ‘18 Run Crew Joseph Fleming ‘20, Devonte Kavanaugh ‘20, Viva Sandoval ‘20, Sunny Snell ‘20, David Wingate ‘20 Special Thanks Greg Picard, Shawn Tavares, and The Perry and Marty Granoff Center for the Creative Arts; Trinity Repertory Company. Please take a moment to note the fire exits. There is an exit at each corner of the theatre. Use of recording devices, cameras, and cell phones is not permitted. As a courtesy to patrons and performers, please silence all electronic devices. The video taping or other video or audio recording of this production is strictly prohibited. This performance may be recorded for Brown University marketing and archival purposes. Note from the Producer Dance Epidemics Throughout human history, dance has been the harbinger of political and cultural revolutions. In the French courts of Louis XIV, one’s ability to execute proper technique assured you an esteemed position close to the king. As a spiritual and cathartic practice, it remains one of the most efficacious ways to heal and commune with the Divine beyond our earthly existence. Now as a multi- billion dollar business enterprise, dance is everywhere, with over 50 different television shows and films currently airing across cultures, time zones, and genres telling stories of love, loss, and hope. While mulling through my dance notebooks, I came across a story that was well documented throughout 16th century Europe. The story goes that in 1518, residents of Strasbourg on the French- German border were suddenly struck “by a sudden and seemingly uncontrollable urge to dance.” This so called hysteria began when one woman, Frau Troffea, stepped into the street and spontaneously began to twist, twirl, and shake with such fervor that soon her weeklong solo dance-a- thon turned into an epidemic claiming over 400 victims. Local physicians blamed it on “hot blood” and prescribed a cure of continued gyrations until the fever broke. This dance fever eventually took its toll, with many dancers collapsing and dying from exhaustion, dehydration, strokes, or heart attacks. This strange episode continued for months, until the remaining dancers were eventually whisked away to a mountaintop shrine to pray for absolution. One could say that we too are in a dance fever of sorts, with over 20 student-run dance companies and two accredited faculty-run dance companies. Here our students grow into mature artists and take what they have learned out into the world. Here they have a safe space to be in the dance, to feel what they feel, to see what they see, and to communally cultivate joy and creativity. Many of the students you witness this evening are graduating and moving on to other spaces and places. We wish them success with the promise of always having a safe harbor of creativity back here whenever they choose to return. —Michelle Bach-Coulibaly 2016-17 Dance Season Family Weekend Dance Concert Produced by Sydney Skybetter. Danceaturgy by Zohar Frank ‘21 PhD. October 21–23 // Ashamu Dance Studio Family Weekend Dance Concert celebrates the beginning of the dance season, engages collaborators in the community and the other arts, and welcomes new students and their families to Brown. The dance program kicks off a new year of art making and community engagement. Fall Dance Concert Co-Produced by Julie Adams Strandberg, Michelle Bach-Coulibaly, Sydney Skybetter. Danceaturgy by Zohar Frank ‘21 PhD. November 17–20 // Ashamu Dance Studio Fall Dance Concert focuses on devised new works by students and invites audiences to explore the choreographic process. Some of the works presented in this concert will be developed over the year and may be performed in the Festival of Dance. Festival of Dance Produced by Julie Adams Strandberg. May 4–7 // Stuart Theatre Festival of Dance features dance works from the historical and contemporary repertory and devised new works. Excerpts or beginning studies for some of these devised works may have been presented in the Fall Dance Concert and further developed over the year. Commencement Dance Concert Produced by Michelle Bach-Coulibaly. Saturday, May 27, 2017 at 7pm // Stuart Theatre Commencement Dance Concert celebrates the end of the dance season, engages alumni and current students, and bids arrivederci to graduating seniors and their families. Battleworks Etude Choreography: Robert Battle, arranged by Erica Pujič Lighting Design: Randy Biagas-Hill ‘17 Costume Design: Fran Romasco Original Music by Carl Landa Performers: Dance Extension: Brown University’s modern dance repertory company, directed by Julie Adams Strandberg Dancing Legacy: American Dance Legacy Initiative’s performing and teaching ensemble, directed by Laura Bennett ‘92 Arts, Communication, and Teaching Academy at Central Falls High School, led by Deanna Camputaro Dance for Parkinson’s and DAPpers (Dance for our Aging Population) classes, led by Rachel Balaban Battleworks Etude is based on movement from Robert Battle’s works: Flock, The Hunt, Jewel Lost, and Rush Hour. Battleworks Etude is part of the American Dance Legacy Initiative Repertory Etudes Dance Instructional Collection, curated and directed by Carolyn Adams and Julie Adams Strandberg. Repertory Etudes are short dances based on signature works of American choreographers, available to the public with unprecedented access for study, viewing, and performance. These four companies have collaborated over the past five years to realize American Dance Legacy Initiative’s commitment to making its materials and programs on dance available for all individuals to connect and engage with, and does not restrict or limit who can participate. Sharing the work of these groups with you tonight is the manifestation of a life-long vision. —Julie Adams Strandberg, Founding Director of Dance, Brown University Co-Founder, American Dance Legacy Initiative Co-Founder, Artists and Scientsts as Partners All I Need Choreography: Andrew Stone ‘18, Megan Gessner ‘20, Nomvula Vu Mbambo ‘17.5, Jewel Brown ‘19, and Seneca Meeks ‘20 Costume Design: Eve Zelickson ‘19, Megan Gessner ‘20, Nicole Ubinas ‘18 Music: Location (Khalid) Sunday Morning (Maroon 5) Power (Kanye West) Rolex (Ayo&Teo) Performers: Jewel Brown ‘19, Megan Gessner ‘20, Sarah Hsu ’17, Chloe Kibble ‘17, Nomvula Vu Mbambo ’17.5, Seneca Meeks ’20, Mindy Ng ’19, Leila Rajab ‘20, Andrew Stone ’18, Ken Sudradjat ‘18, Tori Tran ‘19, Nkem Ugwu ‘20, Aisha Zamor ’19, Eve Zelickson ’19 We Just Wanna Choreography: Stanley Muñoz ‘17 Lighting Design: Stanley Muñoz ‘17 Costume Design: Stanley Muñoz ‘17 Music: Sapeleme (Staff Paulo) Iskaba (Wanda Coal) Performers: Assitan Coulibaly, Megan Gessner ‘20, Eshe Hawash ‘17, Nomvula Vu Mbambo ‘18, Stanley Muñoz ‘17, Leila Rajab ‘20, Chelse-Amoy Steele ‘18, Jason Vu ‘17, Aisha Zamor ‘19 Memories of Life and Death Choreography: Gwi Young Bae Costume Design: Katy Chu ‘18, Music: Giselle (Adolphe Adam) Script: Jeong Eun Kim Performers: Anna Bjella ‘18, Anjali Carroll ‘17 , Katy Chu ‘18, Leslie McCauley ‘18, Lindsey Ruda ‘20, If you have to leave your loved one forever. We would not want that to be happening. However, it will happen someday in our lives. We know that death is not a complete disaster or fear. We learn how much we love each other and appreciate our lives through death and farewell. Death is not the end. It is the continuation of life through another path. Life and death are in the continuous coincidence. In the cycle of “life” and “death”, we live in an eternal happiness. Marakadon Choreography: Michelle Bach-Coulibaly and traditional Lighting Design: Randy Biagas-Hill ‘17 Costume Design: Traditional and Michelle Bach-Coulibaly Live music by Seydou Couliblay (jun jun) and Moussa Traore (jembe) Performers: Liza Basso ‘18, Aminata Coulibaly ‘19, Assitan Coulibaly, Isa Diawara ‘18, Matthew Garza ‘11, Eshe Hawash ‘17, Lindsay Levine ‘17, Stanley Muñ0z ‘17, Mili Sanalka ‘17, Chelse-Amoy Steele ‘18 Marakadon is a dance and rhythm originating from the Maraka peoples of Mali, West Africa. This dance is part of communal celebrations for all life-cycle ceremonies, now popularized and performed by professional dance companies throughout the Mande Diaspora. These steps were co-created by M’Ba Coulibaly, Salimata Soumare, and Michelle Bach-Coulibaly. --INTERMISSION-- RiverRun Choreography: Michelle Bach-Coulibaly and New Work/World Traditions Lighting Design: Randy Biagas-Hill ‘17 Scenic Designer: Sam Keamy-Minor ‘17 Tarot Cards: Jennifer Avery ‘17 Costume Design: Jessie Darrell Jarbadan Music: Ancient Pines (Loreena McKennitt), Chipi Chipi (Cuti Aste and Jorge Lobos), Creek (Bon Iver), Oya (Ibeyi), River (Ibeyi), This World