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Original, creative and dramatic works of dance will be showcased during Dance in Concert 2017 at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville’s Katherine Dunham Theater, beginning at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 8. The show will continue at 7:30 p.m. Thursday-Saturday, Nov. 9-11 and at 2 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 12. 

The evening of dance will display the artistry of nationally renowned choreographer Jon Lehrer, based in New York City; J. Calvin Jarrell, SIUE Department of Theater and Dance emeritus professor; Kristin Best-Kinscherff, head of the dance program at SIUE and assistant professor; Kevin Paul Hockenberry and Omar Olivas, assistant professor and instructor, respectively in the Department of Theater and Dance; and Jermaine Shelton and Brian Lynch, SIUE students. 

“I love having our faculty create works as an extension of classroom activity,” Best-Kinscherff said. “They are able to challenge their students to use what they learn in class and apply it on stage.  Our faculty members are also highly regarded professionals, and Dance in Concert is an opportunity for them to share their artistic works with the SIUE audience.” 

“I selected J. Calvin Jarrell and Jon Lehrer as our guest artists,” added Best-Kinscherff. “Both of these individuals are known for creating works that students absolutely love to perform.” 

Shelton has also earned a reputation as a choreographer. His thought-provoking work, “Severance” with music by Indoor Chasing by Roque Banos and Brink, earned the Outstanding Student Choreography Award in spring 2017. With the award comes the honor of presenting in a Dance in Concert program and at the American College Dance Association’s Regional Conference, according to Best-Kinscherff. 

Also part of the evening will be the work, “Kanashibari” by Best-Kinscherff, Olivas and the dance ensemble. The Japanese word translates to “the state of being totally bound, as if constrained by metal chains.”  

“Audience members tend to want to use dance as an escape mechanism,” said Best-Kinscherff.  “They also want to figure out what the piece is about quickly or find a narrative to a piece that does not have one.  We challenge the audience to just experience this concert.” 

Ticket prices are $12 for adults 18 and older, and $10 for seniors and all others. 

Tickets can be purchased by phone at (618) 650-2774 or by visiting the SIUE Department of Theater and Dance Box Office, located in Katherine Dunham Hall. The Box Office is open from 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Monday-Friday and two hours prior to show time. 

For more information, call the Box Office or visit SIUE’s Calendar of Events. 

SIUE’s Department of Theater and Dance presents four plays and one dance concert during its October through April season.  All productions are open to the community at large.  The Department of Theater and Dance is part of the College of Arts and Sciences, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, Edwardsville, Illinois.  Southern Illinois University Edwardsville provides students with a high quality, affordable education that prepares them for successful careers and lives of purpose. Built on the foundation of a broad-based liberal education, and enhanced by hands-on research and real-world experiences, the academic preparation SIUE students receive equips them to thrive in the global marketplace and make our communities better places to live. Situated on 2,660 acres of beautiful woodland atop the bluffs overlooking the natural beauty of the Mississippi River’s rich bottomland and only a short drive from downtown St. Louis, the SIUE campus is home to a diverse student body of nearly 14,000. 

College of Arts and Sciences: Central to SIUE’s exceptional and comprehensive education, the College of Arts and Sciences has 19 departments and 85 areas of study. More than 300 full-time faculty/instructors deliver classes to more than 8,000 undergraduate and graduate students. Faculty help students explore diverse ideas and experiences, while learning to think and live as fulfilled, productive members of the global community. Study abroad, service-learning, internships, and other experiential learning opportunities better prepare SIUE students not only to succeed in our region's workplaces, but also to become valuable leaders who make important contributions to our communities. 

Photos Courtesy of Valerie Goldston:
Students in the dance company shown from left to right: Eketi Songu, Lorelle Katz, Kristin Ahring (kneeling) Justin Fong, Adrien Dammer (lift), Jermaine Shelton and Hayley Barker.