CCM's Fall Dance Concert Showcases Diverse, Collaborative Repertoire

The University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music (CCM)

Department of Dance presents an impressive array of diverse and collaborative selections in this year’s

Fall Dance Concert

, running

Dec. 4-6

in the Patricia Corbett Theater. The concert features works choreographed by guest artists

Diego Salterini

and

David Hochoy

, along with contributions by CCM faculty members

Andre Megerdichian

and

Deirdre Carberry

.

The concert begins with the classic staging of the famous

pas de deux

from

Le Corsaire

, staged by CCM Associate Professor of Dance Deirdre Carberry. Set to music by Adolphe Adam, who also wrote the popular ballet

Giselle

and the Christmas song “O Holy Night,” the

pas de deux

is one of the most beloved selections in the entire ballet cannon.

“This dance is so grand and virtuosic. It really starts off the concert by showing the audience who we are as a program,” explains Andre Megerdichian, an Assistant Professor of Dance at CCM and the director of this year's Fall Dance Concert.

On the heels of this classic start comes the largest and most collaborative performance of the night,

Night’s Daughters

, which is an original collaboration by Megerdichian and CCM Drama visiting faculty member

Giles Davies

. The piece explores the consequences of betrayal, but in a unique way, “Usually stories of betrayal are told from the perspective of the one betrayed, but this story is told from the perspective of the one who commits the act and details how one puts themselves back together afterward,” says Megerdichian.

Joining the dancers on stage will be a drummer, a Shakespearean actor and the quirky harp duo

Beyond Pluck

, who are quickly making a name for themselves thanks to their classic rock covers for the harp. “Beyond Pluck members Rachel Miller and Paula Bressmen are adventurous and were really excited to create this with us,” says Megerdichian. Usually understood to be stationary instruments, the harps in

Night’s Daughters

will move around the stage on custom-built platforms and are an integral part of the piece’s movement.

Diego Salterini, founding co-director of Dance Now! Miami, choreographs the third work,

Themes and Variations

. The Interlochen and Joffrey Ballet faculty member created the work specifically for CCM, which features dancers on

pointe

, but with a twist, “It’s not traditional ballet by any means, it’s far more contemporary with a jazzy element to it,” explains Megerdichian.

To end the show with a bang, the department presents the incredibly athletic and strenuous

iconoGlass

, which features music by the renowned composer Philip Glass. Choreographed by David Hochoy, artistic director of the Indianapolis-based company Dance Kaleidoscope, the work premiered in 1998 with a cast that included Megerdichian himself as one of the featured dancers. “I remember being completely exhausted after this piece, so it’s an amazing challenge for our dancers,” says Megerdichian.

The 2015 Fall Dance Concert is a collection of varied and exciting works that will showcase the unbelievable versatility of the students in CCM’s Department of Dance.

Performance Times

• 8 p.m. Friday, Dec. 4
• 8 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 5
• 3 and 7 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 6
  

Location

Patricia Corbett Theater, CCM Village

University of Cincinnati

Purchasing Tickets

Tickets to the “Fall Dance Concert” are $15 for general admission, $10 for non-UC students and FREE for UC students with valid ID.

Tickets can be purchased in person at the CCM Box Office, over the telephone at 513-556-4183 or online at

ccm.uc.edu/boxoffice/concerts/dance

.

Parking and Directions

Parking is available in the CCM Garage (located at the base of Corry Boulevard off Jefferson Avenue) and additional garages throughout the UC campus. Please visit

uc.edu/parking

for more information on parking rates.

For detailed maps and directions, please visit

uc.edu/visitors

. Additional parking is available off-campus at the new U Square complex on Calhoun Street and other neighboring lots.

For directions to CCM Village, visit

ccm.uc.edu/about/directions

.

____

CCM Season Presenting Sponsor & Musical Theatre Program Sponsor: The Otto M. Budig Family Foundation

Community Partner: ArtsWave

The Dance Department gratefully acknowledges the support of the Corbett Endowment at CCM