RU dancers are "Dancing on the Edge"

The Radford University Department of Dance presents its spring dance concert, “Dancing on the Edge,” this Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings on the Bondurant Auditorium stage. This annual event offers a broad spectrum of movement styles and diverse musical selections. This year the concert features five dance works created by Department of Dance faculty and guest choreographer Wesley Williams. The pieces include choreography embracing modern, jazz, west African and classical ballet movement vocabulary.

Associate professor Inessa Plekhanova presents her ballet choreography styled after M. Petipa. Her excerpt is from "Esmeralda" and features five soloists.

Associate professor danah bella presents two pieces. Her “poco a poco se anda lejos” premiered at RU in 2009. Since then it has been produced by d a n a h b e l l a DanceWorks and performed throughout the country, including Boston and Philadelphia. This piece investigates the challenges of has-been beauty queens who are attempting to make a return.  

Also being presented is bella’s “passing. pausa. Gap,” which is inspired by the RU School of Dance and Theatre's recent study abroad trip to London – specifically movement workshops they participated in and conversations they had.

“Face to Face” is the result of a weeklong collaboration with guest artists Wesley Williams Jr. and Atiba Rorie.  This contemporary African dance piece explores the challenges and responsibilities of recognizing one's own imperfections.

“Zwitterion” is a premier work by assistant professor Amy VanKirk that features eight dancers navigating their way through an eccentric musical landscape. Quirky is the name of the game as the performers bring this music to life.

The cast of "Dancing on the Edge" includes: Kari Argabright, Haley Beatley, Katie Brown, Taylor Carper, Shannon Comerford, Sara Cooper, Ashley Dobrogosz, Lexi Dunks, Rachel Gattoni, Sarah Hayes, Kristen Jameson, Amy Livesay, Chelsea McGinnis, Jacki Miller, Reed Patterson, Machijah Persaud, Haley Race, Christa Rockney, Kelsy Rupp, Grace Smiley, Arianne Thompson, LeeAnn Walker, Dara Watson, Caleb Waybright, Jessica Wheeler and Anne Wright.

"Dancing on the Edge" opens Thursday, April 3 and runs through Saturday, April 5. Each performance starts at 7:30 p.m. and is in the Bondurant Auditorium in Preston Hall. Tickets are $5 for the general public, $2 for children and free for those with an RU ID. These are available online  or at the Hurlburt Hall Information Desk (540-831-5420). For more information about the Department of Dance, visit www.radford.edu/dance.