Dancers perfect kaleidoscope

by Michelle Terronez
reporter

As finals approach, the South dance department is treating everyone—students, faculty, staff—to a weekend getaway.

This weekend before exams begin, the dance department will present its final dance program of the school year, the Third Annual Kaleidoscope Dance Concert.

Students from various TCC dance courses will join Velocity, South Dance Company and The Moving Canvas Dance Project, a Fort Worth-based dance company, as they bring an assortment of dance to the campus.

Students, in and outside of Velocity, will perform a total of 14 dances, all choreographed by a variety of performers.

Gypsy Ingram, South associate professor of dance, choreographed the majority of the dances and, with the assistance of student Domingo Brooks, completed a dance called, “Throwin’ It Down.”

Velocity will conclude with a dance choreographed earlier in the semester by Ephrat Asherie, New York hip hop artist.

The artist visited South Campus in February teaching dance classes during the day and hosting a breakout session one evening.

The Moving Canvas Dance Project and Velocity will merge to bring audiences two pieces, one that incorporates a modern style of dance and one that brings an ’80s style jazz.

“People can expect to see [at the concert] a large variety of dancing styles,” said Anthony Glover, South teaching assistant, “everything from contemporary ballet to traditional jazz, hip-hop and satirical dances.”

A lot of these dances have been in the making since the beginning of the school year.

Dance members have spent the majority of the semester refining, getting the dances ready for the concert.

Erika Kelgin, South student, has also been in practice over the semester with a solo piece she choreographed, called “Rocking Chairs, Desks and Other Safe Places.”

“This dance has grown organically over the semester,” she said. “It’s a conceptual piece where the artist must really pull from within so the movement is choreographed naturally.”

Kelgin is one of the many recipients honored for a dance award in performative excellence.

All recipients will be honored during intermission at the concert.

This concert will give the audience time to sit back and relax, Ingram said. “It will help students forget about finals and everything that causes them stress,” she said.

The concerts will be Friday-Saturday, May 2-3, at 7:30 p.m. in the SPAC Carillon Gallery.

Doors will open at 7 p.m. Concessions will be on sale during intermission, with all proceeds going to the South dance department.

Admission is free for TCC students, faculty and staff and $5 for outside guests.

Ingram has requested that no photography or videography be allowed in the theater.

“Culture shared with good company is just as important as good food, only instead of the body it feeds the soul,” Kelgin said. “[So] get out of the HOUSE! Turn off that black box of wires and experience life.”