Dance/NOW: ECU Dance Blog #27

Hello Dancers!

This is our last full week. The end is near! Finish strong!

 ANNOUNCEMENTS AND UPCOMING EVENTS

ECDA MEETING THIS FRIDAY!

There will be a VERY important and mandatory meeting for all ECDA members! That's YOU! There will be some NEW IMPORTANT information regarding a shift in department responsibilities and some special opportunities next year so be sure to be there!

                     *The meeting will be Friday directly following the comp class (2:50pm) and will go no later than the start of Senior Choreography tech (3:30pm).

SENIOR CHOREOGRAPHY SHOW
Senior Choreography is THIS WEEKEND!!
Tech and RUN schedules are listed below and the shows will be Saturday April 23rd at 12pm and 4pm, and Sunday April 24th at 5pm and 8pm.

THURSDAY

6:15-7:00 Lauren 

7:00-7:45 Kanon

7:45-8:30 Jazlyn

8:30-8:45 BREAK

8:45-9:30 Meghann

9:30-10:15 Katy

 

FRIDAY

3:30-4:15 Maggie

4:15-5:00 Nicole

5:00-5:45 Erica

5:45-6:30 Alissa

6:30-7:30 BREAK

7:30-9:00 RUN 1

9:15-10:30 RUN 2

REHEARSAL SCHEDULES
Keep an eye out each week for changes and/or additions to the master rehearsal schedule. This schedule gets sent out on Callboard and it is YOUR RESPONSIBILITY to stay up to date with changes.  You don't want to miss a rehearsal that is on the schedule, so stay vigilant and check daily! :)

DANCE SCIENCE NEWS
Dancers- If you are not already, go on Facebook and request to be a part of the ECU Dance Science group! This is a great way to hear about upcoming workouts and learn more about how to keep your bodies healthy, strong, and SAFE! (we also have an INSTA! @ecudancescience)
 

CONGRATULATIONS! 
Congratulations to Kanon Sapp and her BEAUTIFUL dancers for a STUNNING performance of Kanon's URCA project, sk(IN/OUT), this weekend!!


INSPIRATION FOR THE WEEK:

"Your mind believes what you tell it. What you think is what you will become."

"Don't make a habit of choosing what feels good over what is actually good for you"

"Pain is temporary. It may last for a minute, an hour, a day, or even a year. But eventually it will subside and something else will take its place. If you quit, however, the pain will last forever."

With Love,

       Nicole Gemmell

ECU chapter of the National Honor Society for Dance Arts, President

East Carolina Dance Association, Secretary
ECU Dance Science Club, founding Senior Representative

AND

      John Dixon

Dance Area Coordinator

Dance/NOW: ECU Dance Blog #26

Hello Dancers!

I am sitting on the stairs outside of Messick absolutely LOVING this weather! Make sure to take some time to enjoy the outdoors today! (And get some of that Vitamin D) 
Spring is here! :)

 ANNOUNCEMENTS AND UPCOMING EVENTS

BODYTRAFFIC DANCE COMPANY 

We have the amazing BODYTRAFFIC dance company here to perform at ECU this week! They will have a show this Thursday April 7th at 8pm in Wright auditorium. All dance majors will receive a complimentary ticket and are required to attend (even though we know you don't want to miss this opportunity to see a professional company for free!)  Please make sure you arrive by 7:55pm so that you have enough time to sign in and find your seat before the show.

We will also have two master classes from the company on Wednesday, 4/6, during adv ballet/int jazz (12:30-1:50)  and advanced modern (2-3:20). The advanced modern class will be open to additional students via a sign-up sheet posted the morning of the class.  Freshmen, that is your one opportunity to take class with the company so I highly recommend signing up if at all possible.  

SENIOR CHOREOGRAPHY SHOWCASE
The Second Senior Choreography showing will take place this Thursday April 7th in Studio Theatre from 5:30-6:30pm! Please contact the choreographers or John Dixon if you have any questions about the showing :)

REHEARSAL SCHEDULES
Keep an eye out each week for changes and/or additions to the master rehearsal schedule. This schedule gets sent out on Callboard and it is YOUR RESPONSIBILITY to stay up to date with changes.  You don't want to miss a rehearsal that is on the schedule, so stay vigilant and check daily! :)

DANCE SCIENCE NEWS
April 7th is National Biomechanics Day!  Biomechanics is the study of biological systems in terms of the analysis of the action of mechanical forces.  Simply put, the human body is an AMAZING miracle so take a little time on Thursday to put some attention on how your body functions in all the miraculous ways that it does.  

CONGRATULATIONS! 
Huge congrats to Danie Johnson for receiving a performing apprenticeship for the Inaside Chicago Dance Company! And also to Nicole Gemmell for receiving an apprenticeship with Inaside Chicago Dance Company! They will both be moving to Chicago after graduation and start their contracts August 1st!  Way to go, graduating seniors!!!!

And major congrats to all who participated in Random Acts this weekend!!! It was truly a FABULOUS and diverse show! This program has so much talent!!!!


INSPIRATION FOR THE WEEK:

Just keep swimmin' just keep swimmin' ❤️

"You hold yourself back when you begin to compare yourself to others.. Only compare your current self to your past self and keep moving forward"

With Love,

       Nicole Gemmell

ECU chapter of the National Honor Society for dance Arts, President

East Carolina Dance Association, Secretary
ECU Dance Science Club, founding Senior Representative

AND

      John Dixon

Dance Area Coordinator

Dance/NOW: ECU Dance Blog #25

Hello Dancers!

We are coming close to the end of this semester, and I know it is hard to stay on top of things with summer so close- but keep on working hard and Finish Strong!! 

(only 30 more school days....but who's counting?)

 ANNOUNCEMENTS AND UPCOMING EVENTS

GUEST ARTIST THIS WEEK! :)

We have our last major guest artist of the year this week. Tiffany Rea-Fisher and Thomas Vavaro from the Elisa Monte Dance Company in NY are here for three days of classes this Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. Tiffany is the Artistic Director of the Elisa Monte Dance Company and they are just coming off a very successful run of their 35th anniversary season. We're excited to have them back and hope you will enjoy their classes this week. Please also keep an eye out for an announcement regarding a special Q&A session with Tiffany and Thomas on Wednesday or Thursday of this week. I'll put their teaching schedule below.

 

Tiffany Rea-Fisher ECU Residency Schedule:

Tuesday, 3/29

12:30-1:50 Intermediate Modern, Studio Theatre

2-3:20 Advanced Modern, Studio Theatre

 

Wednesday, 3/30

11-12:20 Beginning Modern, Studio Theatre

2-3:20 Advanced Modern, Studio Theatre

 

Thursday, 3/31

12:30-1:50 Intermediate Modern, Studio Theatre

2-3:20 Advanced Modern, Studio Theatre

RANDOM ACTS!
The Random Acts show will be this weekend! This show is an exciting mix of jazz, tap, and musical theatre- Get your tickets at the Messick box office!
Show times are listed below:
Saturday April 2nd, 4pm and 8pm
Sunday April 3rd, 1pm

UPCOMING SPRING OPEN HOUSE EVENT 
We will be hosting a spring open house for some of our incoming freshman dancers as well as others interested in  our program. The event will take place April 2nd and we need 4-5 student volunteers to help out. These volunteers will meet with prospective students to talk about the program and answer any questions they have. The incoming students will also be taken on a brief tour of the facilities and will attend a short "mixer" event. The rough time commitment is from 12:30–2:30pm, though we may finish by 1:45 or so. If you are interested in volunteering for this event, please contact John Dixon or any of the ECDA officers.

REHEARSAL SCHEDULES
Keep an eye out each week for changes and/or additions to the main-stage rehearsal schedule. This schedule gets sent out on call-board and it is YOUR RESPONSIBILITY to stay up to date with changes.  You don't want to miss a rehearsal that is on the schedule, so stay vigilant and check daily! :)

DANCE SCIENCE NEWS
April 7th is National Biomechanics Day!
Teal Darkenwald will be taking dancers up to the biomechanics lab on monday March 28th at 5pm to learn more about how biomechanics can relate to dance -- you don't wanna miss this!

NATIONAL HONOR SOCIETY FOR DANCE ARTS

Final submission of packets for the Spring induction into this prestigious society will be due by THIS WEDNESDAY. Seniors in the society that wish to graduate with honors will have to re-submit a packet including the 15 points gathered after their initial induction. If you are having trouble or need materials, please contact Nicole Gemmell or Maggie Bode. (We are glad to help!)

 CONGRATS!!! 

Congratulations to all those who performed at the Mid-Atlantic Regional Conference for the American College Dance Association. Our dancers showed professionalism and outstanding technique and love of dance and we are VERY proud!!!
And a huge congrats to Kanon Sapp and her dancers in "The House" for being chosen to perform in the gala as well as the first alternate for Nationals!

From John D. -

I have already heard from a few faculty members that I know at other programs in our region commenting on the quality of our students and program.  Adrienne Fang, who danced for years with the internationally acclaimed Doug Varone & Dancers company and is now at the University of Maryland, sent me a message asking "How do you guys do it?  You produce such kickass dancers and brilliant choreographers that are all so incredibly open and creative.  What's your secret?" No secret, just a great faculty and some of the most talented young dance artists around!  Congratulations to all!!!  

INSPIRATION FOR THE WEEK 

"Every time you stay out late, sleep in, miss a workout, don't give 100%, you make it that much easier for someone else to get that job."

SACRIFICE=SUCCESS

"Life has two rules:
#1: Never Quit.
#2: Always remember #1"
-Dewayne Washington

With Love,

       Nicole Gemmell

ECU chapter of the National Honor Society for dance Arts, President

East Carolina Dance Association, Secretary

AND

      John Dixon

Dance Area Coordinator

Dance/NOW: ECU Dance Blog #24

WELCOME BACK DANCERS!!

We hope you all have had a restful winter break and are excited for a whole new semester of dance!

 ANNOUNCEMENTS AND UPCOMING EVENTS

DANCE 2016 IS ALMOST HERE!!
Our mainstage dance show is coming up with faculty and guest artist works moving to stage on monday the 18th!
(please note the 18th is MLK jr day so there will be no university classes)
Our faculty, lighting designers, costume crew, stage managers, and dancers have worked very hard to make this show look incredible- and it does! The show will open on Thursday the 28th and tickets will be sold online and at the box office in Messick.
You don't want to miss this!!

REHEARSAL SCHEDULES
Keep an eye out each week for changes and/or additions to the main-stage rehearsal schedule. This schedule gets sent out on call-board and it is YOUR RESPONSIBILITY to stay up to date with changes.  You don't want to miss a rehearsal that is on the schedule, so stay vigilant and check daily! :)


DANCE SCIENCE NEWS
We are submitting our proposal to become an established club within the university! If you would like to be involved in this exciting beginning (no experience in dance science needed), please shoot a quick email to our grad student Caitlin Melton with your name and email saying you are interested.

meltonc11@students.ecu.edu

*Please do this asap as time is an important factor in developing this club! We need as many people interested as possible and we would LOVE to have you! :)

NATIONAL HONOR SOCIETY FOR DANCE ARTS

Initial submission of packets for the Spring induction into this prestigious society will be due by the end of the week. This means by the end of the week, you should be able to show that you have some if not most of your materials gathered. Seniors in the society that wish to graduate with honors will have to re-submit a packet including the 15 points gathered after induction. If you are having trouble or need materials, please contact Nicole Gemmell or Maggie Bode. (We are glad to help!)

 CONGRATS!!! 

Congratulations to those students with works accepted into the Spring Contemporary Concert!!
Ele Alvarez
Kristalyn Gill
Jazlyn Moore
Kanon Sapp
Emily Tinsley

And more congrats to Kanon Sapp for receiving the URCA grant!

INSPIRATION FOR THE WEEK 

FINISH STRONG!!! <3 class of 2016

With Love,

       Nicole Gemmell

ECU chapter of the National Honor Society for dance Arts, President

East Carolina Dance Association, Secretary

AND

      John Dixon

Dance Area Coordinator

Dance/NOW: ECU Dance Blog #23

HELLO DANCERS!!

It's the start of Exam week! Make sure you stay hydrated and get as much sleep as possible! Oh, and study hard of course! ;)

 ANNOUNCEMENTS AND UPCOMING EVENTS

THIS MONDAY IS MESSICK CHRISTMAS!
Wear your favorite tacky Christmas attire this Monday for Messick's Christmas! Make sure you are still dressed appropriately underneath (tights/leotard) for class as this is our last full day!


DANCE EXAMS/ CONFERENCES
This semester we will not have time blocked off in the exam schedule for dance exams. Instead, each of you will be meeting with your professors to discuss your current and future dance training. Make sure you check on the time of your individual conference and show up 15 minutes early with your own notes and materials to take notes on the feedback you will be given. This is a great opportunity for personal improvement so make the most of it!

DANCE 2016 SHOWING
The Dance 2016 showing will be at 11:30am on Tuesday, December 8th (Reading Day).  All performers are called for the mandatory warmup from 10:50-11:10am in the Studio Theatre.  Dancers need to be in the studio and ready to begin by 10:50am.  Sign-in sheets will be posted on the ST doors.


LIGHTS UP!
Show Time: Tuesday, Dec 8 @8pm
This semester's Lights Up! student choreography showcase will be on ECU's Reading Day. Admission is free so come out to support your fellow students and see some great dancing! Seating is limited so make sure you pick up a ticket at the Messick Box Office before the show. Tickets are outside of the box office in Messick.

LAST DANCE!
Show Time: Monday, Dec 14 @8pm
Come out to see our hard working junior dance majors' choreography showcase. This show is the final project of the first semester dance composition class.  Admission is free but make sure you pick up tickets at the Messick Box Office before the show.

REHEARSAL SCHEDULES
Keep an eye out each week for changes and/or additions to the main-stage rehearsal schedule. This schedule gets sent out on call-board and it is YOUR RESPONSIBILITY to stay up to date with changes.  You don't want to miss a rehearsal that is on the schedule, so stay vigilant and check daily! :)


DANCE SCIENCE NEWS
We are starting a monthly meeting for all those interested in dance science as well as bi-weekly workout sessions! YAY

You do not have to be a double major or have a minor to be a part of this new exciting club so go onto the ECU Dance page on facebook where Teal Darkenwald  has posted a link to the new dance science facebook and request to join! This new facebook page will be used for sharing interesting dance science journals and articles pertaining to dance. Teal will also be teaching a dance kinesiology class as well as a dance conditioning class in the spring. Having taken both of these classes in the past, I strongly recommend them both! Excellent supplemental training and knowledge about how to refine our craft!

NATIONAL HONOR SOCIETY FOR DANCE ARTS

Packets for the Spring induction into this prestigious society will be due by the end of the week that we return from winter break. This means you will have a full month to get your packets ready! If you are having trouble or need materials, please contact Nicole Gemmell or Maggie Bode. 

 CONGRATS!!! 

Congratulations to all of our dance majors for working so hard this past week for our jazz residency. You all have grown so much this past week and made a great impression for the program. Great Work!

INSPIRATION FOR THE WEEK 

"If we were a medical school, and you were here as a med student practicing appendectomies, you'd take your work very seriously because you would imagine that some night at 2 am someone is going to waltz into your emergency room and you're going to have to save their lift. Well, my friends, someday at 8pm someone is going to walk into your concert hall and bring you a mind that is confused, a heart that is overwhelmed, a soul that is weary. Whether they go out whole again will depend partly on how well you do your craft..."
-Karl Paulnack

With Love,

       Nicole Gemmell

ECU chapter of the National Honor Society for dance Arts, President

East Carolina Dance Association, Secretary

AND

      John Dixon

Dance Area Coordinator

Dance/NOW: ECU Dance Blog #22

Welcome Back Dancers!!

We hope you have had a wonderful and restful Thanksgiving holiday with friends and family! 

 ANNOUNCEMENTS AND UPCOMING EVENTS

RICHARD SMITH IS HERE!

Our next choreographic guest artist is Richard Smith, the Artistic Director of Inaside Chicago Dance! Richard's approach to teaching and directing is focused on alignment, manipulation of the body, strength and origination of movement. He believes that only through the constant work to master technique and the understanding of fundamentals of jazz that the dancer begins to tap into the emotional connection of dance. Only then can the dancer generate performance from a vulnerable place of truth, making the dancer's connection to the audience real and pure. It is this philosophy that keeps his fire burning for teaching and helping dancers reach their highest artistic level.

Richard is an ECU alumni and has worked with Gus Giordano and we are VERY excited to see his work on our own dancers in the Dance 2016 show!  He will be teaching all of the jazz classes this week so be ready to work hard and be pushed to do your very best dancing.  It's going to be a great week!!

DANCE 2016 SHOWING
The Dance 2016 showing will be at 11:30am on Tuesday, December 8th (Reading Day).  All performers are called for the mandatory warmup from 10:50-11:10am in the Studio Theatre.  Dancers need to be in the studio and ready to begin by 10:50am.  Sign-in sheets will be posted on the ST doors.


LIGHTS UP!
Show Time: Tuesday, Dec 8 @8pm
This semester's Lights Up! student choreography showcase will be on ECU's Reading Day. Admission is free so come out to support your fellow students and see some great dancing! Seating is limited so make sure you pick up a ticket at the Messick Box Office before the show. Tickets will be outside of the box office in Messick closer to the show date.

LAST DANCE!
Show Time: Monday, Dec 14 @8pm
Come out to see our hard working junior dance majors' choreography showcase. This show is the final project of the first semester dance composition class.  Admission is free but make sure you pick up tickets at the Messick Box Office before the show.

REHEARSAL SCHEDULES
Keep an eye out each week for changes and/or additions to the main-stage rehearsal schedule. This schedule gets sent out on call-board and it is YOUR RESPONSIBILITY to stay up to date with changes.  You don't want to miss a rehearsal that is on the schedule, so stay vigilant and check daily! :)


DANCE SCIENCE NEWS
We are starting a monthly meeting for all those interested in dance science as well as bi-weekly workout sessions! YAY

You do not have to be a double major or have a minor to be a part of this new exciting club so go onto the ECU Dance page on facebook where Teal Darkenwald  has posted a link to the new dance science facebook and request to join! This new facebook page will be used for sharing interesting dance science journals and articles pertaining to dance. Teal will also be teaching a dance kinesiology class as well as a dance conditioning class in the spring. Having taken both of these classes in the past, I strongly recommend them both! Excellent supplemental training and knowledge about how to refine our craft!

NATIONAL HONOR SOCIETY FOR DANCE ARTS FALL INDUCTION
The fall induction will be during the intermission of the Last Dance show. Come out to see these hardworking dancers get inducted into this prestigious honor society! 

 CONGRATS!!! 

SENIOR CHOREOGRAPHY was amazing this past weekend!!! Thank you so so much for the work and emotion that everyone involved gave towards this show! It was the best one yet and it makes me so proud to be a part of this program!

INSPIRATION FOR THE WEEK 

“Dancers are athletes of God.”

- Albert Einstein

“You are unique, and if that is not fulfilled,

then something has been lost.”

- Martha Graham

With Love,

       Nicole Gemmell

ECU chapter of the National Honor Society for dance Arts, President

East Carolina Dance Association, Secretary

AND

      John Dixon

Dance Area Coordinator

Dance/NOW: ECU Dance Blog #21

Hello Dancers!!

It's Show Week! :D  
As always, be sure to keep your bodies warm and stretched before all of your classes and rehearsals! 

 ANNOUNCEMENTS AND UPCOMING EVENTS

SENIOR CHOREOGRAPHY SHOW!
This year's senior dance majors will be displaying a fabulous mixture of large and small group works as  a part of their senior capstone project. The show will take place THIS WEEKEND (November 21-22) and trust me, you don't want to miss it! :)
Show Times are as follows:
Saturday Nov 21 noon
Saturday Nov 21 4pm
Sunday Nov 22 5pm
Sunday Nov 22 8pm
All of the shows are currently SOLD OUT(!!!) but if you're desperate for a ticket you can send out a request on callboard or just show up extra early for one of the shows to try to get a last minute seat.  Hope to see you there!

p.s.- If you would like to see the show for free, you may sign up to usher or video any of the performances. The sign up sheet is on the bulletin board outside of 115/116.

RENT
Make sure you get your tickets for the Theatre department's current MainStage production of RENT!
RENT is "an inspiring musical about friends and artists struggling with addiction, poverty, AIDS and most of all, love." The Show runs November 19-24 (this Thursday through next Tuesday).  Tickets are available through the Messick Box Office or online at ecuarts.com.  Don't miss it!

PETER PAN
Our FABULOUS Tap professor, Dirk Lumbard, will be performing with the Playhouse of Wilson in their production of Peter Pan. He will be playing the role of Captain Hook and Mr. Darling. The show is at the Edna Boykin Center in Wilson November 19-21 @ 7:30 pm. Tickets are $12, you can get them at the Edna Boykin Center an hour before show time and on. Dirk is an excellent performer with an extensive theatrical and dance background on and off Broadway. You don't want to miss this!

LIGHTS UP!
This semester's Lights Up! student choreography showcase will be on ECU's Reading Day. Admission is free so come out to support your fellow students and see some great dancing! Seating is limited so make sure you pick up a ticket at the Messick Box Office before the show. Tickets will be outside of the box office in Messick closer to the show date.

Show Time: Tuesday Dec 8 @8pm

CONTEMPORARY CONCERT

You are invited to submit a proposal for a dance you choreograph to be presented alongside faculty works in the Contemporary Concert on Saturday, February 27, and Sunday, February 28 of 2015.  Please submit your proposals as a word document (.doc) via email to dixonj@ecu.edu by Monday, November 23 at 9pm.  (The application form is attached to an email sent out by John Dixon last week)

MASTERCLASSES

We're extremely excited to welcome home our very own Eimile Davis (Fall 2013) for three masterclasses early next week!  Eimile has been very busy in New York dancing for Monica Hogan Danceworks, Cat Cogliandro's CATastrophe! Dance Co, Michael Susten and Company, and De Funes Dance Company as well as working with Joffrey Ballet School as an employee of their residence life. Eimile is a gorgeous dancer and teaches at several studios in NY so be ready for some amazing contemporary material in her classes.  Welcome back, Eimile!!!

Monday, 11/23

11-12:20 Beginning Modern

Tuesday, 11/24

11-12:20 Advanced Jazz

12:30-1:50 Intermediate Modern

REHEARSAL SCHEDULES
Keep an eye out each week for changes and/or additions to the main-stage and senior choreography rehearsal schedule. This schedule gets sent out on call-board and it is YOUR RESPONSIBILITY to stay up to date with changes.  You don't want to miss a rehearsal that is on the schedule, so stay vigilant and check daily! :)


DANCE SCIENCE NEWS
We are starting a monthly meeting for all those interested in dance science as well as bi-weekly workout sessions! YAY

You do not have to be a double major or have a minor to be a part of this new exciting club so go onto the ECU Dance page on facebook where Teal Darkenwald  has posted a link to the new dance science facebook and request to join! This new facebook page will be used for sharing interesting dance science journals and articles pertaining to dance. Teal will also be teaching a dance kinesiology class as well as a dance conditioning class in the spring. Having taken both of these classes in the past, I strongly recommend them both! Excellent supplemental training and knowledge about how to refine our craft!

ECDA CANNED FOOD DRIVE
Remember to bring in cans for our service project! The box is located right outside of studio theatre.  

NATIONAL HONOR SOCIETY FOR DANCE ARTS INDUCTION CEREMONY
If you are interested in being inducted into the NHSDA this semester, please contact Nicole Gemmell as soon as possible at gemmelln12@students.ecu.edu 

You will need to get your packets handed in within the next two weeks to be considered for Fall 2015 induction. If you have any questions regarding materials in the packet, Maggie Bode or Nicole Gemmell are more than happy to help out!  

 CONGRATS!!! 

Special Congratulations to the Senior Dance Majors for their hard work in choreography for this semester's Senior Choreography Show! Thank you to Darian Rutter, Sebastian Tavares, and Anton Crooks for running the show and thank you to all the hard working dancers for making the work come alive!

The dance science club had a great turn out this past week! Thanks to Teal Darkenwald for leading and to all those who came out for a solid workout!!

INSPIRATION FOR THE WEEK 

"Go CONFIDENTLY in the direction of your dreams, live the life you have imagined." -Henry David Thoreau

With Love,

       Nicole Gemmell

ECU chapter of the National Honor Society for dance Arts, President

East Carolina Dance Association, Secretary

AND

      John Dixon

Dance Area Coordinator