Release date: April 4, 2003
Contact: Sally Corbett, Director of Public Relations, Arts,
at 404-727-6678 or sacorbe@emory.edu

Emory Dance Company's "Naked" April 24-27

The 2003 Emory Dance Company's Spring Concert, "Naked," will premiere Thursday, April 24 in the Dance Studio of Emory University's Schwartz Center for Performing Arts, 1700 N. Decatur Road. "Naked," featuring 10 new works choreographed by students of the Emory Dance Program, overflows with diverse choreographic offerings ranging from contemporary ballet to dynamic modern works. It explores different methods of exposing human qualities through movement.

"Naked" will be performed at 8 p.m. April 24-26 and 3 p.m. Sunday, April 27. Advance ticket purchase is recommended as tickets have historically sold out for these popular performances. Call the box office at 404-727-5050 for tickets and more information.

Choreographer Haley Byrd explores the process of self-discovery in her piece entitled "My Self Included." Using mirrors and introverted movement, the dancers examine their own bodies and develop insight into their unique identities. The focus becomes more external as the work evolves, and each individual's self understanding is enhanced through possibilities and limitations of relating to one another.

Amy Gish's "things fall apart" is a modern dance quartet based on Johann von Goethe's novel "Elective Affinities." Gish translates the characters as well as the concept of "elective affinities" into her choreography. The dancers move in and out of relationships with one another without a sense of rhythm or reason, and, in effect "things fall apart."

Kieli Catherine Joplin began dancing about two years ago, and is excited to have the opportunity to create and show work for the Emory Dance Company. The choreography of her piece is inspired by the spiritual and sacrificial tones in Meredith Monk's "Astronaut's Anthem."

Anita Kim's work combines strong balletic technique with expressive movement inspired by the sensations evoked by her musical choices for this performance. Her seven dancers will perform an energetic and exciting contemporary ballet.

Wesley Lim sets his work to Rachmaninoff's "Piano Concerto No. 1 and 3" and "Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini." By adapting ballet technique to modern movement he creates fresh, innovative choreography that explores the development of physical and emotional relationships.

Erin Miles' choreography is set to Bach's "Fugue in A Minor" as performed by Alirio Diaz. Her piece is based on six gestures that relay a sentiment of inner beauty through movement. The women in this piece acknowledge their own beauty, but realize that they cannot actualize every facet that makes other women beautiful. Yet their own beauty is ultimately created by the combination of these strengths and weaknesses.

Majoring in business and dance has inspired choreographer Nina Stratt to explore the inner workings of people in the business world. Set to a compilation of text from movies such as "Fight Club," "Office Space" and "Wall Street," the underlying rhythms within the score help create an atmosphere of chaotic energy that builds throughout the work. Through a satirical approach, this quartet urges the audience to take a step back and view the absurdity that exists within everyday life.

Genna Swanson's choreographic work strives to explore the nature of relationships between people. The dancers contributed a bit of themselves to this piece with their own ideas, movement styles and their unique personalities.

Casey Viggiano's "The Context-Content Battle of Hill 364" is performed to a music compilation of John Williams, "Catch Me If You Can" / Monty Norman, and the James Bond theme. Through the piece the nine dancers question which is stranger -- the things we do when we dance or the things we do as pedestrians.

Kathleen Wessel sets her work to music by Philip Glass with cello solos by Yo-Yo Ma. She explores the idea that some people are inherently selfish beings full of secret hopes and unfulfilled dreams. It questions notions such as if one moment of pure happiness only inspires more want, what are we ultimately striving for? This piece explores the paradoxical nature of these basic human emotions and searches for a source of comfort in a society never satisfied.

Tickets are $8 for general admission and $6 for students with an Emory ID, children 12 and under, professional artists and senior citizens. Free evening and weekend parking is available next door to the center in the Fishburne Parking Deck. Read more about the events at the Schwartz Center at www.emory.edu/ARTS, or at www.schwartzcenter.emory.edu.

CALENDAR LISTING
"Naked: 2003 Emory Dance Company Spring Concert"
April 24-26, 8 p.m. and a matinee April 27, 3 p.m.
Schwartz Center, Dance Studio, 1700 N. Decatur Rd.
Tickets: general admission $10, students and patrons over 65, $8
Tickets and information: 404-727-5050 and www.emory.edu/ARTS
"Naked," 10 new works choreographed and performed by students of the Emory Dance Program, overflows with diverse choreographic offerings ranging from contemporary ballet to dynamic modern works that explore different methods of exposing human qualities through movement.
NOTE: Photographs available upon request.

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