by Pete Rosenbery
CARBONDALE, Ill. — A program showcasing the diverse dance talents of Southern Illinois University Carbondale students and guest artists will take the McLeod Theater stage Feb. 14-16.
“PHOENIX — A Dance Concert,” directed by Darryl K. Clark, associate professor in musical theater dance, will celebrate the recent reorganization of the College of Arts and Media that advanced the Department of Theater into the School of Theater and Dance.
Dancers in “PHOENIX — A Dance Concert” rehearse for their upcoming performance. Pictured is Dominique Atwood-Hamilton, an independent dance artist from Ullin. (Photo by Greg Wendt)
Performances are at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 14-15 and 2 p.m. Feb. 16.
The talents of 12 SIU Carbondale students are part of the concert along with SIU Carbondale alumni and guest artists from St. Louis and Chicago.
“I hope audiences will come away from PHOENIX with a variety of reactions and feelings — all positive,” Clark said. “The main thing to hold close when watching a dance concert is not always a story being told. There are many dances and ballets that do that. Some pieces are a reaction to an event; some are inspired by the dancers in the cast of a piece. All of this leads to work that has the truth of the person that made it.”
The students are in the theater program or the musical theater program, which is also a part of the SIU School of Music.
The students performing are:
- Van Leonard, junior, musical theater, Nolensville, Tennessee.
- Blue Byers, freshman, musical theater,
- Madilynn Herzog, freshman, theater, Murphysboro, Illinois.
- Lilie Lim, freshman, musical theater, Hot Springs, Arkansas.
- Ameriah Lockett, sophomore, musical theater, Urbana, Illinois.
- Kenzie Losinski, junior, musical theater, Michigan City, Indiana.
- Ty Lunn, sophomore, theater, Swansea, Illinois.
- Olivia Manning, junior, musical theater, Louisville, Kentucky.
- Rayden Meyer, freshman, musical theater, Springfield, Illinois.
- Kaitlyn Rose, sophomore, musical theater, Kankakee, Illinois.
- Nick Steinberger, sophomore, theater, West Frankfort, Illinois.
- Amelia Warner, junior, musical theater, Indianapolis.
The students will be joined by Joshua Kimball, who is now in charge of musical theater at Southeastern Illinois College in Harrisburg, and Jake Sommers, who is working in St. Louis. Guest dancers include Dominique Atwood-Hamilton, Kamea Rhine, Kennedy Hayes and Cary Laake, along with Winifred Haun & Dancers members Dillon Zamora and Eona Carey.
Kenzi Losinski, Madilynn Herzog, Van Leonard, Lillie Lim and Blue Byers. (Photo by Deangelo Handley)
The lineup will feature:
- “(It’s Okay to) Mess With the Johann,” a tap dance piece set to Johann Sebastian Bach’s Concerto for Harpsichord in F Minor. This work was commissioned by New York City’s #TapLife Dance Company in 2022.
- “Urban Menagerie,” a boldly kinetic display of images set to a blend of original poetry and Christopher Rouse’s percussive “Bonham.”
- “On the Wings of Yemonja,” created by Laurie Goux with original music by Sonjia Hubert Harper.
- “On My Body,” a meditative solo created and danced by Clark to Two Pieces for Strings by English composer Sir William Walton.
- “NEW DAY” a premiere work by Clark to Music for a Large Ensemble by Steve Reich.
Celebrating a ‘growing facet’ of the school
H.D. Motyl, professor and chair of the School of Theater and Dance, suggested the dance concert to celebrate the transition, Clark said.
“This is a great opportunity for me to share work I have created since I’ve come to the faculty at SIU and to share space with guest choreographers Laurie Goux and Julia Schaeffer,” he said.
Motyl said the dance concert enriches the performance lineup.
“We are still building our dance program, but we knew we had enough talented faculty and student dancers and choreographers, so we decided to celebrate this growing facet of our school with a concert that shows off that talent,” Motyl said.
Ticket information
Tickets are available online and at the McLeod Theater Box Office. Individual tickets are $25 for adults age 21-54, $20 for senior citizens age 55 and older, $10 for students age 13-21 and $8 for children age 12 and younger. Tickets can be purchased by phone at 618-453-5741 or in person on the night of the performance. The McLeod Theater Box Office will be open 10 days before a show from 12:30 to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, and one hour before each performance.
Beer and wine (cash only) will be served in the lobby before performances and during intermission.