Ohio University’s School of Dance's Winter Dance Concert returns to the Templeton-Blackburn Memorial Auditorium

Ohio University’s School of Dance is delighted to mark the in-person return of the annual Winter Dance Concert, on Feb. 25 and 26 at 7:30 p.m. at the Templeton-Blackburn Memorial Auditorium.

The performance contains five new works choreographed by dance faculty and national guest artists, including Cara Hagan, Brian Brooks, and the Dayton Contemporary Dance Company. These works highlight the collaborative efforts of the faculty, students, and guest artists.

“The More We Are,” choreographed by Hagan, was created from a series of separate explorations in the studio where the dancers were asked to create tiny seed phrases from their personal experience. Phrases were then dissected, jumbled, reconfigured, and molded to find instances of synergy between dancers to build group work. In essence, the piece is about the ways individuals can contribute to the wellbeing of the collective.

“Sentinels,” the new work by professor of dance Christi Camper Moore, explores themes of keeping safe and standing watch. Envisioning the stage space as a compass, the dancers mark the journey by their bodies becoming the circles, arcs, points of connection, and lines for navigation. Guarding. Traveling. In the minutes, on the miles, and along the roots that remain.

“Born.Again,” by Qarrianne Blayr of the Dayton Contemporary Dance Company, reminds us that every moment is an opportunity to start over, to re-think, to evolve, to clean the slate, and to be born, again.

“Mirror ɿoɿɿiM,” choreographed by Anna Sullivan of the Annadroids, is a concept dance piece that explores the ins and outs, ups and downs, and backwards and forwards moments witnessed by the mirror. 

“Flight Study,” choreographed by Brian Brooks, was created during the first COVID-compliant quarantined residency at the Pillow Lab and at LUMBERYARD Center for Film and Performing Arts in Catskill, New York. The work was further developed with students during a residency at Ohio University and premiered at the 2021 Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival. Composer Bryce Dessner is a Grammy Award winner.

Tickets are $12 for general admission and are available online here. Admission is free to OHIO students with a valid student ID at the door before the performance begins, thanks to Arts for OHIO.

Masks are required to be worn during the performance inside the Templeton-Blackburn Memorial Auditorium in accordance with Ohio University’s indoor mask guidelines.

For more information, contact the School of Dance at 740.593.1826 or dance@ohio.edu.