Press Releases |
| UNL DANCE DIVISION
TO PERFORM IN NEW YORK AND WASHINGTON, D.C.
Lincoln, Neb.--The University of Nebraska-Lincoln's Dance Division concludes a year-long "Celebrating Charles Weidman" project this May with performances in New York City and Washington, D.C. UNL dancers will perform May 3 in New York City at the Sylvia and Danny Kaye Playhouse in a concert entitled "Sharing the Legacy: Dance Masterworks of the 20th Century," which is part of a national conference on historical dance works being sponsored by Hunter College and the Harkness Foundation for Dance. UNL is one of six universities from across the country performing in this concert. They will perform two Charles Weidman pieces, the dramatic "Lynchtown" and the comedic "Bargain Counter." They will also perform May 14 as one of 12 dance programs participating in The Kennedy Center's Celebration of College and University Dance May 13-15 on the Kennedy Center's Millennium Stage. There, they will perform "Lynchtown."  UNL Dancers Michael Richman (center), Devin Preihauer (left) and LaTasha Coffin teach Lancaster Manor residents Charles Weidman choreography after their performance Nov. 16. "This is an extraordinary opportunity for our students," said Lisa Fusillo, head of the UNL dance division. "It is the highlight of any collegiate dance program. Being selected gives recognition at the national level by professionals in the field. The invitation and performance reflects the quality and strength of our dance division at UNL." The Millennium Stage daily free performance series was launched in 1997 as part of the Kennedy Center's Performing Arts for Everyone Initiative. In five years, more than 1,000,000 people have joined the Millennium Stage audience. The stage went worldwide in 1999 when the Kennedy Center began transmitting each night's performance live over the internet using RealPlayer technology. Anyone can view UNL's performance on May 14 at 6pm EST by visiting http://www.kennedy-center.org/millennium. The staging of these works was part of the year-long project "Celebrating Charles Weidman and early American Modern Dance," for which the dance division received the National College Choreographic Initiative Award last fall. Weidman, a leading figure in the development of American modern dance who was recently named to the Dance Heritage Coalition's list "America's Irreplaceable Dance Treasures: The First 100," was born in Lincoln, Nebr., in 1901 (his home was located near the present-day location of the Lied Center for Performing Arts at 12th and R). The UNL dancers have given more than 20 performances and lecture demonstrations this year as part of the project, including performances in public and private schools, retirement communities, rehabilitation facilities and public performances in Lincoln, Seward, Firth and Bellevue. These performances were made possible, in part, through the support of Woods Charitable Fund, Inc., and the Nebraska Arts Council. "The response has been wonderful," Fusillo said. "I was surprised and really touched by the interest from high school students. And I was also surprised by the involvement of the elementary school students. They understood it and had wonderful questions." Twenty UNL dancers made the trip to New York City, and twelve will travel to Washington, D.C. The New York trip was made possible by the UNL School of Music and private donations from Embree Learned and Ruth Diamond Levinson. "Our students have become young professionals," Fusillo said. "They have adapted to awkward and sometimes difficult performing situations, and have presented a very high quality performance every time."  The UNL Dancers performed two Charles Weidman pieces Oct. 17 in the Nebraska State Capitol Rotunda. After the 20 outreach performances, as well as their regular course loads, the New York trip provided "a real boost," Fusillo said. The Washington, D.C., trip will be another highlight in this busy year for the UNL dance division. "Performing on the Millennium Stage of the Kennedy Center carries with it all the prestige of the premier arts venue in our nation's capital," Fusillo said. "It's an honor to be selected."
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