January 20, 2010

The Drexel Dance ensemble took the stage for its first concert of the year entitled Furnishings. The concert, composed of world premiere works by guest artists Jumatatu Poe, winner of the 2009 Ellen Forman Memorial prize, and SCRAP Performance Group as well as Drexel Dance Program Director Dr. Miriam Giguere and Drexel student choreographers, played from Thursday, January 28th through Saturday, January 30th at 8 PM in the Mandell Theater.  Also, Dance Day will was held on January 30th. This day-long event featured technique classes, presentations, workshops and a performance, beginning at 10:00 AM with technique classes, and finishing at 8:00 PM with a performance of Furnishings. For more information please email danceprogram@drexel.edu.

Jumatatu Poe, Artistic Director of IdiosynCrazy Productions, presented a highly athletic original work, “What Happens Happened,” created especially for our Dance ensemble. It included spoken words and was about being stuck in one moment without any memory of the past or anticipation for the future. SCRAP Performance Group, led by founder and choreographer Myra Bazell, presented the first draft of their two-year project which focuses on the concept of inspiration. SCRAP Performance Group is one of three 2009-10 Companies in Residence with the Dance program.

Dr. Miriam Giguere presented her new work “Ektrop, Kaarlsbad, Korndaal and Dans.” To any IKEA aficionado those names should sound very familiar. Giguere’s piece, with original music by Philadelphia composer Chris Farell, looked at how our home improvements are a reflection of our lives and included video shot at the Conshohocken IKEA. Seven student choreographed pieces, all focused on the theme of ‘furnishings,’ were also be performed. To coincide with the theme of furnishings, Interior Design students exhibited some of their recent work in the lobby of the Mandell Theater.