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September 7, 2004
Our Time hits stage for brief fall run

BY sally corbett

The Emory Dance season in the Schwartz Center’s Dance Studio begins with Our Time Here on the Ground Will Be Brief, Sept. 9–11, with performances featuring Emory’s newest dance faculty Greg Catellier and George Staib.

The concert includes Catellier and Staib’s original choreography and works by dance associate professors Lori Teague and Anna Leo. Calling Our Time an eagerly awaited creative partnership, Director of Dance Sally Radell said Staib and Catellier “have added a richness, diversity and a whole new layering of skills and talents that has helped propel the Emory Dance Program forward into new areas of growth, excitement and excellence.”

“George is a gifted choreographer who has a keen sense of how to move dancers through space and an innate understanding of structure,” Radell said. “ As a performer, he has a subtle musicality and sinuous quality to his movement that is magnetic and a delight to watch.

“Greg is a skilled lighting designer who possesses the unique ability to transform the stage into a different world with subtle, rich, sensual and soothing moods and colors that superbly complement the dance he illuminates,” she continued. “He also is a skilled choreographer and performer whose dances are thoughtfully constructed.”

The collaborators decided to present this fall to allow ample time to thoroughly investigate each piece over the summer. One of the project’s facets was for the two men to exchange solos.

“We both see choreographing on another man as a rare and exciting opportunity,” Catellier said. “George and I move in decidedly different ways, which makes dancing each other’s work a significant but welcome challenge.”

Staib began teaching at Emory two years ago, helped organize the 2003 Schwartz Center Dedication and is coordinating choreography for “Wind Dances,” an Emory Wind Ensemble collaboration (Feb. 18, 2005). He trained at Dickinson College and earned a master’s degree at Temple University, where he served on the faculty.

The new experiences and technical challenges in developing Our Time have been numerous and welcome for Staib, who said the endeavor marks his first foray into choreographing without knowing the music ahead of time.

“I have been lucky to have Emory music faculty member Phil Sims as a collaborator; he produced the score for my piece entitled ‘Natural Selection,’” Staib said. “I am excited about the work that has yet to reveal itself.”
Catellier also came to Emory in fall 2002 to teach and serve as lighting designer and technical director for dance. Since then, he has choreographed two dances, designed lights for more than 50 works and performed locally. Catellier has served as technical director at St. Olaf College, attended Webster University’s Conservatory of Theatre and received a B.A. in dance from Arizona State University and a graduate degree from The Ohio State University.

The concert includes Catellier’s latest choreographic efforts. “Take Off” is his duet for professional dancers Elizabeth Dishman, ’95C, and Hilary Benedict. “What Now” is a solo for Staib. Both works focus on relationship conflict.

“In my process as a choreographer, I often start with a nugget of literal narrative,” Catellier said. “As I create drama through the movement, the piece begins to expand and take on tangents.”

Performances will be held Sept. 9 and 10 at 8 p.m., and Sept. 11 at 3 p.m. and 8 p.m. For tickets ($10 general public; $7 discount groups and students), call 404-727-5050 or visit www.arts.emory.edu.

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