First Glimpse:
- Intention: an informal showing introducing the new year’s dances; shared during Family Weekend
- Space: CAD Wagner Bundgaard Studio 1
- Typical Production elements: seating out; no lights; sound run from the floor
Fresh Space:
- Intention: a performance of student, faculty, and community work highlighting dances both in-progress as well as completed dances; connects the St. Olaf College Dance Department to the broader community
- Space: CAD Wagner Bundgaard Studio 1
- Typical Production elements: seating out; single lighting look; sound run from booth; spacing rehearsal before the show
Choreography Showing:
- Intention: Beg. Choreography/Beg. Composition classes present their collaborative work
- Space: CAD Wagner Bundgaard Studio 1
- Typical Production elements: seating out; no lights; legs down; sound from the floor
World Dance Traditions Showing:
- Intention: the World Dance Traditions class presents what they have done during the course
- Space: CAD Wagner Bundgaard Studio 1
- Typical Production elements: seating out, no lighting, sometimes projections, sound from the booth
Veselica:
- Intention: St. Olaf’s International Dance Ensemble, Veselica, presents their work
- Space: CAD Wagner Bundgaard Studio 1
- Typical Production elements: seating out, fully produced with lights and sound; no marley floor
Companydance Spring Dance Concert:
- Intention: faculty, guest artist, and student works from Companydance are presented
- Space: Kelsey Theater
- Typical Production elements: fully produced with lights, sound, props, marley floor, etc.
First Year Dance Project and More!:
- Intention: first year students interested in dance present the work they have done during the entire year with faculty, guest artist, and student work; other students present their Junior Projects and Distinction projects
- Space: CAD Wagner Bundgaard Studio 1
- Typical Production elements: seating out; single lighting look for each piece; sound run from booth; dress rehearsal the before the show; marley floor available
Advanced Choreography Showing:
- Intention: the Adv. Choreography class presents their work
- Space: CAD Wagner Bundgaard Studio 1
- Typical Production elements: seating out; 3 light cues per piece, sound from the booth, wings down, no marley floor
MCCP Showing:
- Intention: the MCCP class presents their work
- Space: CAD Wagner Bundgaard Studio 1
- Typical Production elements: seating out: video/audio capabilities with projection controlled from house and/or booth, some portable lighting instruments controlled from booth
Student-Led Performing Opportunities
Friday Night Lights:
Four dances are performed–a student moderator poses a question–audience, choreographer, and dancers begin a conversation. There are two performances throughout the year, with one during the Fall semester and one during interim. Currently Friday Night Lights is organized through the student organization Extension.
Off-Campus Dance Opportunities
Conferences:
Students are strongly encouraged to attend off-campus conferences related to dance. Benefits include learning special topics in dance, connecting with professional dancers from around the nation, performing works or presenting research to a diverse audience, and more.
American College Dance Association (ACDA) Conference:
ACDA is a national dance festival that provides a venue for students and faculty to engage in three days of performances, workshops, panels, and master classes taught by instructors from around the region and country. The conferences also provide the unique opportunity for students and faculty to have their dance works adjudicated by a panel of nationally recognized dance professionals in an open and constructive forum.
Scholarships to help with the cost of attending are given each year through an application process; preference will be given to those performing or whose work is being performed. To apply, students should email the dance department chair with their name, whether they are performing at ACDA or have work being performed, and the minimum amount of scholarship they need to attend.
There are other ways to reduce cost:
- applying for conference funds through SGA http://oleville.com/soc/forms/
- applying for academic conference funds through CURI http://wp.stolaf.edu/curi/student-travel/
- applying for funds through Johnson Family Opportunity Fund (low income, preference for first generation college student) http://wp.stolaf.edu/johnsonopportunityfund/
The St. Olaf Dance Department belongs to the North-Central region of ACDA. Each annual regional conference typically occurs in March for 4 days at a time. More information can be found at http://www.acda.dance/
National Dance Education Organization (NDEO) Conference:
The National Dance Education Organization (NDEO) is a non-profit organization dedicated to the advancement and promotion of high quality education in the art of dance. NDEO provides the dance artist, educator and administrator a network of resources and support, a base for advocacy, and access to programs that focus on the importance of dance in the human experience.
The annual national conference occurs in October for 3 or 4 days. More information can be found at http://www.ndeo.org/
Minnesota Dance Medicine Foundation (MDMF) Annual Conference
The Minnesota Dance Medicine Foundation was started by medical professionals dedicated to improving the health and treatment of dancers. Our goal is to understand the technique of dance in order to properly prevent injury and safely return a dancer back to activity.
The annual conference occurs in September for 2 days in the Twin Cities metro area. More information can be found at http://www.mndancemed.org/
Minnesota Dance Medicine offers free consultations for dancers at the The Cowles Center for Dance & the Performing Arts. The clinic is free for dancers of all ages and experience. Since research is essential for furthering information in any field, MDMF is committed to conducting clinical dance medicine research. The clinic is open the first Saturday of every month by appointment.
Dance Studies Association Conference
Formed from a combination/uniting of the former Congress on Research in Dance (CORD) and the Dance History Scholars Association, The Dance Studies Association (DSA) is an international organization of dance scholars, educators, and artists that aims to strengthen the visibility and increase the reach of dance as embodied practice, creative endeavor and intellectual discipline. They hold an annual conference focused on a general theme as well as periodic smaller Special Topics conferences with a more limited focus. More information can be found at https://dancestudiesassociation.org/
International Association of Dance Medicine & Science (IADMS)
IADMS was formed to foster several related goals in the dance medicine and science field; the purposes and objectives of the organization are summarized in its Mission Statement:
IADMS enhances health, well-being, training, and performance in dance by cultivating medical, scientific, and educational excellence. More information can be found at https://iadms.org/
The International Association of Blacks in Dance (IABD)
The International Association of Blacks in Dance preserves and promotes dance by people of African ancestry or origin, and assists and increases opportunities for artists in advocacy, audience development, education, funding, networking, performance, philosophical dialogue, and touring. More information can be found at https://www.iabdassociation.org/
Asia Pacific Dance Festival
The Asian Pacific Dance Festival at the University of Hawai’i in Honolulu is a biennial 2 or 3 week festival. Students have the opportunity to take classes with directors and members of two dance companies from the Asian/Pacific region as well as a local Hula school and attend multiple performances. There are scholarships available some years for students from the mainland.
See the Asia Pacific Dance Festival website for details: https://manoa.hawaii.edu/outreach/asiapacificdance/
Dance/USA
Dance/USA is the national service organization for Dance. Dance/USA sustains and advances professional dance by addressing the needs, concerns, and interests of artists, administrators, and organizations.
More information can be found at https://www.danceusa.org/