Beginning on Thursday, December 1, students from the Scripps and Pomona Dance Departments will take the stage at the Pendleton Dance Center for four performances of student-choreographed contemporary dance. The choreographers—Maile Blume ’17, Rae Fredericks ’17, Willa Hevly (PO ’17), Sharon Keenan ’17, Amy Oden (PO ’18), Madelyn Shaughnessy (PZ ’17), and Maia Welbel (PO ’17)—are dance majors and minors as well as students who are simply passionate about dance.

According to Kevin Williamson, assistant professor of dance at Scripps and co-chair of the department, the featured choreography will explore a variety of contemporary styles.

“The performance consists of eight new works by seven choreographers grappling with various themes and aesthetics, says Williamson. “These are all new explorations that students are making.”

As the performance’s title suggests, each of the pieces is in a different stage of progress or development. Many of the dance majors will be further refining their works and incorporating them into their senior theses, which will consist of choreography, performance, and writing.

Rae Fredericks ’17 says her Scripps dance classes have helped shape an appreciation for how different bodies move. “I’m a movement studies major, which means I study more of a somatic awareness approach to dance. This study has helped me tap into learning how to appreciate bodies for their individuality rather than trying to get every body to a certain level of fitness and technique and skill. Dancing is more about appreciating individuality and how bodies are already really beautiful and dynamic in what they have.”

She says her contribution to “In the Works…” “taps into different kinds of things that would access the dancers’ individual styles and unique ways of moving and puts it together in an interesting sort of provocative way.”

“In the Works…” performances are this Thursday-Saturday at 8pm and Saturday at 2pm in the Pendleton Dance Center at Pomona College. General Admission is $5, and tickets will be sold at the door. For more information, click here.

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