VSU Performing Three Original Dances at ACDFA Conference

What: Free preview performance of three original dance pieces being presented at the American College Dance Festival Asociation Southeast Regional Conference Where: Whitehead Auditorium When: 6:30 p.m. Thursday, March 13

VALDOSTA — Twenty-one Valdosta State University students will travel to Georgia College in Milledgeville on Wednesday, March 19, to attend the four-day American College Dance Festival Association (ACDFA) Southeast Regional Conference.

Accompanied by Catherine A. Schaeffer, professor of dance, the group — comprised of 19 dance majors and two theatre majors — will have the opportunity to engage in a wide variety of dance activities, including master classes and workshops, scholarly research presentations, adjudication and informal concerts, feedback sessions, and more. There will also be opportunities for student and faculty exchanges in and out of the studio and special faculty seminars and workshops.

“The experience of taking master classes, attending research presentations, viewing concerts, and listening to adjudicators’ comments — as well as the energy exchange among dancers and faculty from other schools — has proven invaluable for our VSU students, regardless of their levels of dance experience,” Schaeffer explained. “It is awesome, and we encourage all majors to attend the festival as many times as they can. Where else could they see this much dance, take this many classes, and network with peers from other universities?”

At the ACDFA Southeast Regional Conference, VSU will perform an informal concert piece choreographed by Rachelle Sanford, a senior dance major pursuing a Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA), titled “Extortion.” The VSU group will also perform two pieces for adjudication, one choreographed by Schaeffer, titled “Marrow,” and one by Makeda Bryce, a senior dance major pursuing a BFA, titled “Attention Whore.”

“The opportunity to receive feedback on choreography and performance is integral to every ACDFA conference,” Schaeffer noted. “It is a chance to hear what experts in the field believe to be your unique strengths and weaknesses as choreographers and performers.” 

Of the 50 adjudicated works presented at the ACDFA conference, a final program of about 10 dances will be selected for a gala concert.

“Everyone hopes to be selected for the gala,” Schaeffer said. “It is highly competitive and, to some degree, a matter of artistic opinions as to which dances adjudicators determine will create the most exciting program for the gala.” 

At 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, March 13, Schaeffer and students will host a free preview performance of all the original dance pieces to be presented at the ACDFA Southeast Region Conference. The event will be held in VSU’s Whitehead Auditorium, and the public is invited to attend. 

ACDFA has designated 12 regions through the United States. Georgia, Florida, South Carolina, and parts of North Carolina are in the Southeast region. The educational mission of the association is to foster creative potential, honor multiple approaches to scholarly and creative research and activity, promote excellence in choreography and/or performance, and give presence and value to diversity in dance.

Contact Catherine A. Schaeffer at (229) 333-5828 or caschaef@valdosta.edu for more information.

NOTE FOR THOSE ATTENDING THE PREVIEW PERFORMANCE ON MARCH 13: Whitehead Auditorium is located on the first floor of the VSU Fine Arts Building, at the intersection of Brookwood Drive and Oak Street. Parking is available in the lot next to the building and across the street next to the multi-level parking deck.

On the Web:

http://www.acdfa.org

http://www.valdosta.edu/colleges/arts/communication-arts/theatre-and-dance/programs/dance/