Missouri State University’s Department of Theatre and Dance wraps up the 2024-25 season with its annual Spring Dance Concert.

Titled “Collaboration,” the concert continues this year’s theme of “Connection.” It will feature a variety of both student and faculty choreographed performances.

This year’s concert is coordinated by Associate Professor of Dance Azaria Hogans.

Evening showtimes are 7:30 p.m. April 24-26. Matinee showtime is 2:30 p.m. April 27. All performances will be held in Coger Theatre in Craig Hall.

Tickets are $15 for adults, $12 for students/seniors. Special advance rates are available for students with an MSU ID.

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Collaborating to connect

Using an interdisciplinary approach, the concert emphasizes connecting dance with different disciplines, Hogans said. “Every work that will be on the stage has some element of interdisciplinary exploration. This ranges from collaborations with animators to costume construction to STEM concepts and processes.”

Hogans is excited about how audiences will experience the performances.

“Even if an audience member does not know a lot about dance, they will be able to appreciate the interdisciplinary connections made in this concert,” she said. “[They] will be able to see concepts, ideas and maybe even themselves represented in the works.”

Coordinating concert a true passion

Hogans is the sole faculty coordinator for the Spring Dance Concert. The task is a large undertaking, she noted, because of the multiple administrative duties she must execute for the event to be successful. Those duties include hosting open auditions, scheduling spaces for rehearsals, adjudicating student works, creating technical and dress rehearsal schedules and planning the Any Given Child event.

In particular, Hogans must work with the concert’s production team to “fit all the puzzle pieces together.” This includes communicating the needs of each choreographer, such as lighting, sound, costumes and props.

“Each dance is made usually within the semester from start to finish,” Hogans said. “This means the creative process has to happen in ways that gives makers time to play and explore, as well as room to grow and develop, and yet be ready for production within a few short months.”

Hogans sees it as her job to bring the performers’ vision to life and gladly accepts the challenge.

“Coordinating the Spring Dance Concert is one of my passions here at Missouri State University,” she said. “I love the ability to facilitate both student and faculty work and curate overarching themes and ideas for the concert.”

Students bring much-needed assistance

Fortunately, Hogans isn’t facing the task alone. This semester she relies on student stage manager Jamie Quinn and student assistant coordinator Chloe Swadley.

As assistant coordinator, Swadley represents the choreographers at production meetings. She also helps with scheduling and coordinates profile information on the performers and the production team.

“I have loved being an advocate for what needs to be done on all sides of this,” she said.

Swadley, a dance and youth development double major, described how she has gained vital hands-on experience that she can use going forward.

“I will be able to know how to produce a concert of this magnitude and what integral parts are needed to make it all happen. This would not have happened without being placed in this position,” she explained.

Concert experience inspires and motivates

In addition to working as assistant coordinator, one of Swadley’s choreographed pieces was accepted for the concert. Her piece focuses on artful communities.

“I strongly believe that artful communities create thriving communities,” she said. “Unfortunately, these communities have to fight to exist. It is important to advocate for more, so we preserve the art we have today and create a better community for those coming up.”

To develop the performance, Swadley collaborated with local artists Sabrina Perry and Kevin Richardson to learn about their experience within the Springfield community. She also interviewed children at several area schools, programs and studios, asking them what they hope their community will be like when they grow up.

Swadley said her creation represents more than a dance to her. “It is a statement and a call for action.”

After graduating from Missouri State, Swadley plans to pursue a master’s in dance movement therapy at Sarah Lawrence College in New York, then return to the Springfield area to develop a dance movement therapy practice or a nonprofit organization.

“I want to work in schools, hospitals, rehab centers and within communities,” Swadley said. “I feel very passionate about making dance accessible. It can truly change lives when it becomes available.”

Gaining confidence and expertise

Peyton Nicholson, a junior double major in dance and musical theatre, will dance in two performances during the program. Even more exciting, one of his choreographed pieces was accepted for the concert.

Nicholson, who plans to teach theatre and dance when he graduates, collaborated with lighting and costume designer Andrew Savoy, a sophomore design, technology and stage management major at Missouri State, for the number.

And, like Swadley, he recognizes how the opportunity will boost his professional aspirations.

“This experience has been wonderful in teaching me how to run rehearsals, communicate with a cast and create a finished product,” he said. “I have never choreographed a group like this, and it has been so rewarding to learn and grow with them.”

Naliah Hernandez also had her choreography accepted and will dance in three faculty pieces. She is a senior double major in dance and musical theatre who plans to move to New York City after graduating. While there, she will conduct research and then eventually pursue an MFA in dance and composition.

For her choreographed piece, Hernandez collaborated with a costume designer to explore how “female flesh is expected to be presented and digested” on stage.

“I’m eager to see how the work will be received by our audiences and how that feedback might clarify the next steps in my creative research,” she said.

Three additional student choreographed performances are featured in this year’s concert. Jaden Brown created a musical collaboration with the MSU Hibernotes, Elease McFall worked with an animation student and Caroline Wolfe’s piece explores the Fibonacci sequence.

Once a dancer, always a dancer

Many of the students share a love of dance that reaches back to their childhood years.

Having grown up surrounded by artistic parents and grandparents, Swadley was fairly certain she wanted a career in dance. Yet she wanted to make sure once she came to Missouri State.

“I took a step away from the dance scene for my first semester. I wanted to ensure that whatever I did was my own choice and not influenced by where I came from,” Swadley explained. “After one semester without dance, I couldn’t take it anymore and I enrolled in the BS program. It was the right choice.”

Likewise, Nicholson grew up immersed in theatre and dance.

“I have been doing theatre since I was eight, and with that, I was dancing all the time growing up,” he said. “I grew to love dance in high school and became especially passionate about it once I began classes at MSU.”

Jade Zickefoose, a fifth year BFA dance major, is yet another student who can trace their love of dance back to childhood. Zickefoose will dance in two pieces during the concert.

“I was happy to find out that two of the student choreographed pieces I am in were selected,” Zickefoose said. “Being in the Spring Dance Concert is preparing me for my career by giving me the opportunity to perform work and dance in styles that I would not have access to otherwise.”

Adjudication process “nerve-wracking” but worth it

Students consistently used one phrase to describe the adjudication process: “nerve-wracking.” At the same time, however, they acknowledged that the hard work, preparation and practice were worth it.

During an adjudication process, a select group of judges evaluate and give feedback to student performances. Some of those performances are selected for the Spring Dance Concert.

According to Hogans, any student who has taken or is currently enrolled in DAN 420 (Choreographic Tools) can submit their work for adjudication. For this year’s concert, student pieces were assessed on physicality, theme, structure, performance and music selection.

In addition to Hogans, this year’s adjudicators were theatre and dance instructor Brittney Banaei, art and design associate professor Colby Jennings and student adjudicator Caroline Wolfe.

Of course, the concert can only feature so many performances. This meant some of the adjudication pieces had to be cut.

The process was “heart wrenching,” Hogans said.

“I am filled with so much pride when watching these student performances,” she continued. “Each of them clearly put so much effort, thought and heart into their works. This year was by far the hardest adjudication selection I have ever had to make.”

Those selected appreciated the significance of their work being recognized.

“I was so incredibly excited when I learned my piece had been selected,” Nicholson said. “This was my first time doing anything like this, and it was affirming to know the cast and my hard work was paying off.”

“When I found out my performance had been selected, I was elated. Also a bit shocked,” Swadley said. “So many beautifully strong pieces were presented, and it was going to be a hard call no matter what.”

Leave with a “satisfied soul”

Dancers and choreographers alike expressed their wish that concert audiences will see dance in new and insightful ways.

“I hope that our audiences leave the concert with an expanded idea of everything that dance can be,” Hernandez said.

“There is no right or wrong when it comes to the arts, and the collaboration aspect of the concert highlights all the creative opportunities that lie within the arts,” Nicholson noted.

Swadley wants audiences to see dance as something that binds all of life together.

“We all dance, whether it’s on a stage or in private. Movement is dance, life is dance. It holds so many things together, and this show really showcases that,” she said.

Perhaps Zickefoose best summed up what they want audiences to feel.

“I hope that they leave with a satisfied soul.”

 

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Photo credits: Lynn Lansdown.