BA Education & Training at Roger Williams University
01
Dance Performance BA Recipient
I received a Bachelor of Arts Magna Cum Laude in Modern/Contemporary Dance Performance in May of 2019. With a 3.6 GPA, I took part in classes taught by France Hunter, Cathy Nicoli, Kathy Smith, and Gary Shore. Cathy Nicoli created a focus on Laban/Bartenieff Fundamentals movement analysis training that allows RWU dancers to understand their bodies, how they move, and the best way to build technique upon a strong foundation. Having taken courses in Kinesiology, Dance History, Choreography, and Advanced Choreography, France Hunter taught students the basics of dance and dance pedagogy, then encouraged them to break the rules.
02
Dance Theatre Participant
Dance Theatre and Repertory is a one-credit course that is required of all Dance Performance Majors. This course includes an audition at the beginning of the semester, the placement of students in one to five student/faculty/guest artist pieces, the set-up and break-down of performance space, and four performances at the end of the semester. Roger Williams University's Dance Performance program has a strong emphasis on allowing students to engage with guest artists who are both up-and-coming and influential in the dance world. I had had the opportunity to work with dance professionals Jenny Rocha, Hillary Easton, Ori Flomin, Netta Yerushalmy, Shawn Fitzgerald, Christina Robson, Sayer Mansfield, and Mary Ellen Beaudreau (in order from sophomore year to senior year).
03
Dance Theatre Choreographer
The Dance Theatre and Repertory course allows dance majors to have an opportunity to choreograph a piece for Dance Theater. Each semester, students who completed the Introduction to Choreography course can apply to be student choreographers. Students must write an application displaying their artistic, choreographic, costume, lighting, music, and prop ideas and intent. As a junior, I was given the opportunity to choreograph in the Spring of 2018 alongside two seniors who also received the opportunity to choreograph. I chose to create "Free," a piece describing what I believe happens after death, and before a person is sent to heaven, hell, or another life. Using a large, red curtain to represent a passing-on from purgatory, dancers performed different choreography paired with similar dynamics and tempos, to move around the space as the dancers came to terms with what happened to them after death. Each dancer was given a specific personality that shaped their opinion of purgatory and how they spoke and interacted with others in the space. Through meditation and role play, dancers worked to perfect their characteristics and dialogue for the piece which shaped when and how they left purgatory. I chose a bright silhouette for the lighting design and had my dancers wear outfits in all white that reflected their persona within the piece.
04
Senior Soirée Producer and Performer
Upon requests by the senior Dance Majors, the Roger Williams University Dance Department produced a Senior Soirée — an informal showing of choreography produced and choreographed by the senior dance majors. Without a professor to oversee the process, I produced the Senior Soirée in March of 2019. I created and designed the program and poster, organized student choreographers, compiled artists' music, organized student volunteers, and arranged lighting and sound cues. I also performed a solo titled "Scored" in conjunction with my role as producer. This piece was an improvisational score set to reflect the ebb and flow of the chosen music.
05
Junior/Senior Showcase Participant
In the spring of 2018 and 2019, I participated in the Junior-Senior Showcase: a performance that is produced and performed by junior and senior Dance Performance majors. In 2018, the Junior-Senior Showcase was overseen by France Hunter as part of the Performance Laboratory course. Students were given specific tasks to complete leading up to and during the Junior-Senior Showcase performance. I was given the task of renting recording equipment for the performance and calling lighting and sound cues during rehearsals and performances. I also choreographed a solo entitled "Egression" which served as a precursor to my Dance Theatre piece, "Free." In 2019, the Junior-Senior Showcase was entirely student-run for the first time. There was an emphasis on allowing senior students to understand what tasks needed to be done while teaching junior students how to run the Junior-Senior Showcase in the coming years. I had the opportunity in 2019 to focus on my choreography. Working with fellow senior and theater student, Mitchell Kiliulis, I created "Guilt" in which I choreographed movement for myself and Mitchell, performed, and wrote a script for Mitchell to perform during my choreography. This piece allowed me to find a new way to combine dance and writing.
06
Dance & Theatre Semester Abroad
Roger Williams University is the only institution that provides dance majors with an opportunity to study abroad while still earning credits towards their degree. Fall semester of junior year, dance majors and minors have the opportunity to study in London, England with the Dance and Theater departments. This immersive program provides students with the opportunity to understand what life as a dancer after college is like. I studied at the London Contemporary School of Dance and Pineapple Dance Studios. While learning choreography to perform for Spring Dance Theatre with dance artist Gosia titled "Body of Water," I had the opportunity to perform at Trinity Laban. In addition to dance classes, I traveled around Southern England with an RWU faculty member and a local tour guide to learn about the history and culture of England. This curriculum also included a required amount of dance performances and plays to see, plus a written element each week that required each dancer to write performance reviews, an analysis of each class, and rehearsal notations. In addition, the dancers write, direct, choreograph, and perform in a film that is recorded by a London Filmographer. I aided in the creation of "The Experiment" during my semester in London.
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