AMBER MATTICE
Assistant Reverb Editor
With pieces varying from classical ballet to comical theater, this year’s Fredonia Dance Ensemble (FDE) is sure to be a show featuring beautiful and unique performances.
The show will take place on April 8 and 9 at 7:30 p.m. and April 10 at 2 p.m. in Marvel Theatre.
Everyone involved in this event has been working diligently since August to ensure perfection in each performance. Auditions were first held for FDE in late August. And from all who auditioned, 32 dancers were chosen to continue working in preparation for the event coming up.
“The process is very long. We start rehearsing the first or second week of September and we rehearse until we go on stage to perform. There is a set schedule for when each piece gets rehearsed every week. Usually rehearsals are Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Sunday mornings,” said Michelle Kirisits, a senior BFA dance major and assistant director for Fredonia Dance Ensemble.
The event will feature four dances choreographed by the faculty members in the Department of Theatre and Dance but will also feature dances choreographed by four guest artists: Jon Lehrer, Tressa Crehan Gorman, Debra Knapp and Ann Gavit.
With these guest choreographers being brought in, the dancers and choreographers feel that there is a new element being brought to the ensemble and that it is helping this year to be particularly unique.
“This could possibly be the most variation we’ve ever seen in FDE,” said Tess Grosvenor, a junior dual major in BFA dance and public relations. “Each piece is entirely different. In addition to the works we have coming from the faculty, guest choreographers were brought in from all over the country. The styles this year range from classical ballet to contemporary modern, featuring elements of comedy, romance, and even deeper political themes.”
Everyone involved has been trying to make sure that variations in style and music are incorporated into the show.
“There is no official theme, but all of the pieces involve innovation and variety of style,” said Director of Dance Helen Myers. “For example, there is everything from a classical ballet pointe piece, to a comedic dance theatre piece, to a majestic athletic dance.”
Because so many different people have been involved in making this performance possible, everyone is extremely excited to see their hard work finally put on display.
Myers wanted to stress the diversity of style, music and technique in each performance being featured in this year’s ensemble as it is a defining characteristic for every dance.
“There is something for everyone on this concert,” said Myers. “They can laugh, be awed by the athletic prowess, and sigh at the beauty of these pieces. Whether a person knows dance or not, there will be something for them to enjoy.”
Kirisits expressed just how emotional this process has been and why it is important to go and see how much Fredonia Dance Ensemble has grown.
“Every year Fredonia Dance Ensemble becomes stronger and stronger and brings more to the table for people to see, and it was an honor for myself to watch this company and department grow so much over the past four years,” she said. “Next year, the beautiful new building adding on to Rockefeller with three brand new studios is only going to make this department and company grow even faster and bring more people in to see what this place has to offer. There is a lot of beautiful things happening in the future, and I was blessed to be a part of the process.”
Tickets are $20 for the general public, $18 for children and other students, and $12 for Fredonia students.