ASU Herberger Mainstage Dance presents “Fall Dance Collection”

Tempe, Ariz – ASU Herberger Mainstage Dance presents innovative and compelling choreography shaped by a mix of faculty and student choreographers with its “Fall Dance Collection.” The performance runs November 18 –20 at 7:30 pm, and November 21 at 2 pm. Performances are held at the Dance Studio Theatre, PE East, on the ASU campus in Tempe. Tickets are $5-$20 and are available at 480-965-6447 or http://herbergercollege.asu.edu/mainstage/. Parking is available in structure #1 on Apache Boulevard between College and Normal Street.

A highlight of the performance is award-winning, visiting guest artist Sang cheul Choe’s introduction of his latest work, “The Lake.” Since 1991 Choe’s work has been presented in NYC at the Marymount Manhattan Theater and the New York University theater and received high acclaim in The New York Times reviews. Mr. Choe returned to South Korea in 1996 to establish the Choe Sang-Cheul Dance Project in Seoul. In 2000 Mr. Choe received a Korean Ministry of Culture & Tourism grant to choreograph Black Angel, which was chosen as best choreography of 2000 by Korean Society of Dance Critics.

Robin Prichard premieres a new piece entitled “Hold.” This work is a gutsy and robust exploration of the images we create of both ourselves and our relationships. It scrutinizes why we choose certain images and why we choose to look for a sense of permanence within these images. It pairs potent movement with piercing text and will display pictures of the audience as part of the action on stage. “Hold” is simultaneously a clever and delicate look at what happens when we hold onto relationships past their expiration dates.

Robin Prichard is a choreographer noted for her “wit and vulnerability” (LA Times). She has danced with Victoria Marks, David Rousseve, Doug Varone, and Opera Australia, and her original choreographic works have been shown both nationally and internationally. Most recently, she returns to the States from Australia where she was a Fulbright Fellow, completing cross-cultural choreography works between Aboriginal and modern dance.

Choreographer Jennifer Tsukayama premieres a new piece entitled “transformations.” This is an interactive multi-media work that integrates live video feed, pre-recorded video, and motion sensing to abstract the transitions in an Alzheimer mind. The piece uses poems from Sean Nevin's manuscript, Oblivio Gate, and an original score by John Mitchell.

Jennifer Tsukayama is the Founder and Artistic Director of tsukayama dance collaborative (tdc). Tdc’s credits include a wide range of projects from site specific works to ones that integrate dance and new media. Tdc’s repertory can be found in companies from Mexico, New York, and Arizona. Tsukayama has toured and performed with artists across the United States and taught in schools and festivals both nationally and internationally. She is Co-Artistic Director of ASU's student repertory/community partnership company, D.A.R.T. (Dance Arizona Repertory Theatre).

Also included in the program is original choreography by Leanne Schmidt, Marilyn Maywald, Steven Reker, Liz Young, and Cynthia Roses-Thema.

“The Fall Dance Collection is creative, physical and inspiring,” says Mary Robert, Department of Dance program coordinator. “We are thrilled to add acclaimed guest artist Sang cheul Choe, and take this already powerful collection of work to another level.”

The Department of Dance in the ASU Herberger College of Fine Arts is nationally ranked in the top 10 by Dance Teacher magazine. Its graduate program is ranked fifth and its undergraduate program is ranked ninth. The ARCO Performance Arts College Guide calls the department one of the “most highly recommended programs” in the country. To learn more about the Department of Dance, visithttp://dance.asu.edu.

Dance is part of the ASU Herberger Mainstage Season featuring operas, musicals, dance and music performances. For a complete Mainstage schedule go to http://herbergercollege.asu.edu/mainsatge/index.html. 

Media Contact:
Mica Matsoff
(480) 965-0478
Mica.Matsoff@asu.edu