October 2-4: Coker College Dance Program's Fall Student Choreography Showcase

The Coker College Dance Program will present its annual Fall Student Choreography Showcase Oct. 2, 3, and 4 at 7:30 p.m. in the Watson Theater of the Elizabeth Boatwright Coker Performing Arts Center.

“The annual Fall Student Choreography Showcase is a highlight in our season,” said Angela Gallo, associate professor of dance and coordinator of the dance major. “It is always exciting to see the work that the students are producing. It is great to see their artistic voices emerging.”

Student choreographers for the concert include: senior Ashley Lesage; juniors Cierra Stinson, Tierra Foxworth and Darrell Daney; Sophomores Olivia Shaw and Miranda Knorr and freshman Jayden McCree.

“The Student Choreography Showcase provides a great opportunity for new and more experienced choreographers to experiment and develop their own unique ideas of choreography,” said Kristin Hapke, assistant professor of dance. “Students also learn versatility, something that is expected from professional dancers, as they perform in an array of movement styles with different choreographic approaches. We strive here at Coker to create an environment that mimics the real world realities, including tight deadlines, auditions and meeting adjudication criteria."

"I'm excited for the Student Choreography Showcase because I love seeing what my fellow dancers create,” said LeSage. “The student showcases bring our tight-knit dance family closer by giving us the opportunity to get to know each other better, both personally and artistically, through the works that we present."

Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for students and seniors. Admission for Coker students, faculty and staff is free with a Coker ID.

For more information, please contact Gallo at 843-383-8381 or agallo@coker.edu.

The dance major at Coker College offers students a broad range of courses that prepare them for several career options in dance and provides opportunities for students to enter into advanced professional dance training. The mission of the dance program, within the context of a liberal arts degree program, ensures graduates are prepared both for performance-related work and for additional study at the graduate level.

Release written by media relations coordinator Elizabeth McCarley.

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Coker College readies undergraduates for personal and professional success through a distinctive four-year program that emphasizes a practical application of the liberal arts as well as hands-on and discussion-based learning within and beyond the classroom. Coker is ranked among the “Best Colleges” in the South by U.S. News & World Report as well as The Princeton Review. Located in Hartsville, S.C., Coker is within two hours of the cultural, financial and recreational resources of Charlotte, Columbia, Charleston and Myrtle Beach.

Coker College Announces BFA Degree in Dance

The Coker College Dance Program will launch a new Bachelor of Fine Arts degree program in fall 2014. The new degree, which will be offered in addition to the current Bachelor of Arts program and dance minor, will make Coker the only school in South Carolina with a BFA program for dance.

“The establishment of a BFA in dance at Coker affords us the opportunity to leverage the rigor already in our program, along with the talents and skills of our faculty, to provide an exceptional course of study for current and future students,” said Coker College Provost Tracy Parkinson.

With nearly twice the amount of required credit hours, the BFA will be a more rigorous degree than the BA. Three specialized degree tracks will help students hone and polish their raw skills, while personalized, professional training will give BFA students even more opportunities to choreograph and perform—all while fostering close ties with faculty and other students.

“I am very excited that Coker is now offering this degree,” said Angela M. Gallo, associate professor of dance and coordinator of the dance program. “This will give our students a tremendous opportunity. We are also happy to be starting the K-12 certification in dance, as it will fill a void in this area of the state.”

Approved by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, Coker’s program will offer three specialized degree tracks: Performance and Choreography, Dance/Movement Therapies and Dance Education (with K-12 certification to begin Fall 2015). The selection of an emphasis area allows the dance major to tailor the BFA program to his or her personal career goals.

Students are required to audition for the BFA program and can apply online at coker.edu/apply-now.

For more information, please contact Angela M. Gallo at 843-383-8381 or agallo@coker.edu.

The dance major at Coker College offers students a broad range of courses that prepare them for several career options in dance and provides opportunities for students to enter into advanced professional dance training. The mission of the dance program, within the context of a liberal arts degree program, ensures graduates are prepared both for performance-related work and for additional study at the graduate level.

Coker College Hosts Residency with Guest Dance Company

The Coker College Dance Program will host guest dance company Adele Myers and Dancers as part of the Hartsville-Coker Concert Association’s 2013-14 season. This performance will be held Thursday, April 17 at 7:30 p.m. in Watson Theater of the Elizabeth Boatwright Coker Performing Arts Center.

The dance, entitled “Einstein’s Happiest Thought,” is a full-length work that incorporates dance, film, music and scripted performance. The piece is directed and choreographed by Adele Myers and the original score is composed by Josh Quillen. Collaborators include dramaturg Ain Gordon, lighting and visual designer Kathy Couch, filmmaker Emmy Pickett and writer Blanche Boyd.

In addition to the Hartsville-Coker Concert Association performance, Adele Myers and Dancers will host master classes open to Coker dance majors and to the public. Angela Gallo, associate professor of dance, collaborated with the company to arrange the workshops and masterclasses and secure additional funding for their performance. The company has a class called “Movers and Shakers” that will be catered specifically to those with no dance experience. This class will be held Tuesday, April 15 from 9:15 a.m. to 11:15 a.m. and is free and open to the public.

Myers founded Adele Myers and Dancers in 2000. The company has performed in theaters and festivals including Bates Dance Festival, Maine; Jacob’s Pillow Inside/Out, Massachusetts; Dance New Amsterdam, New York; Vermont Performance Lab, Vermont; and New Haven International Festival of Arts and Ideas, Connecticut.

Myers studied choreography at Sarah Lawrence College. She earned a master of fine arts in dance at Florida State University and a doctorate in performance studies from New York University. Myers served as a faculty member in the dance department at Connecticut College from 2006 until 2013. She lives in Connecticut with her husband and two children.

The creation and presentation of this work is supported by the National Endowment for the Arts in cooperation with the New England Foundation for the Arts through the National Dance Project. Major support for National Dance Project is provided by the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation and the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation with additional support from the Community Connections Funds of the MetLife Foundation. Support from the National Endowment for the Arts provides funding for choreographers in early stages of their career. The performance is a collaboration between the Coker Dance Program and the Hartsville-Coker Concert Association, with additional support provided by a grant from the Black Creek Arts Council.

Production residency for this work was supported by the National Dance Project of the New England Foundation for the Arts, with funding from the Andrew Mellon Foundation. General Operating support was made possible by the New England Foundation for the Arts with funding from the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation. Additional development support has been provided by the Bates Dance Festival and Summer Stages Dance at Concord Academy with funding from the New England Foundation of the Arts, and from Connecticut College and the New Haven ACES Educational Center for the Arts.

A partnership between Coker College and Hartsville, the Hartsville-Coker Concert Association presents an annual program of performing arts events in downtown Hartsville and on the Coker College campus. Individual tickets are sold for each event or discounted season tickets are included in the Association’s membership.

Tickets for the performance, which are available at the door, are $25 for adults and $7 for children under 18. Coker students with college identification are admitted for free.

For more information about the Hartsville-Coker Concert Association, visit www.hartsvillecokerconcerts.org or call 383-8125. For more information about Adele Myers and Dancers, go to adelemyersanddancers.com. For more information about the performance or classes, please contact Angela M. Gallo at 843-383-8381 or agallo@coker.edu.

Release written by media relations coordinator Elizabeth McCarley.

April 10th - 12th: Coker Dance Presents the Spring Student Choreography Showcase

The Coker College Dance Program will present its annual Spring Student Choreography Showcase April 10, 11 and 12 at 7:30 p.m. in the Watson Theater of the Elizabeth Boatwright Coker Performing Arts Center.

The concert features the senior thesis projects of Dache’ Green and Italy Welton.

“This showcase will highlight extended choreographic works by two senior dance majors,” said Angela M. Gallo, associate professor of dance and coordinator of Coker’s dance program. “Their capstone thesis projects showcase the knowledge gained over four years, which includes mastery of dance techniques, higher-order thinking and criticism skills and creative problem-solving.”

Green's piece, "Leisurely Dreams of the Lambs,” explores human trafficking. The dance is a trio of sophisticated movement that shows aspects of femininity and suffrage. The dance premiered at the South Carolina SCDancing Festival in Charleston on March 18.

Welton's piece, "Nostalgia: out of one's mind," examines the issue of victimization. The athletic and aggressive choreography is heightened by the dancers wearing masks to hide their identity. The dance premiered at the American College Dance Festival at Georgia College in Milledgeville, Ga. on March 21.

“Dache’ and Italy not only dance skillfully and artfully, but they are also able to discuss and analyze dance in a scholarly manner. As they are about to graduate with a degree in dance, they are ready for both performance-related work and additional study at the graduate level,” said Gallo.

In addition, this concert will showcase the works of other Coker dance majors, including junior Ashley Lesage and sophomores Cierra Stinson, Darrell Daney and Midori Darr.

The piece "Turn Out The Black Light" was choreographed by guest artist Teena Marie Custer. Custer is a dancer and hip hop theater artist based in Pittsburgh, Pa. She created this hip hop and house dance for the Coker Repertory Dance Company.

Other student choreography includes group pieces "Due To Unforeseen Events" by Cierra Stinson and "Collision" by Ashley LeSage, duets "Turn To You" by Midori Darr and "Percuss, Defy, Settle...What We Have Been Through" by Italy Welton and Dache’ Green and solo "Inhale, Exhale" by Darrell Daney.

Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for students and seniors. Admission for Coker students, faculty and staff is free with a Coker ID.

For more information, please contact Angela M. Gallo at 843-383-8381 or agallo@coker.edu.

The dance major at Coker College offers students a broad range of courses that prepare them for several career options in dance and provides opportunities for students to enter into advanced professional dance training. The mission of the dance program, within the context of a liberal arts degree program, ensures graduates are prepared both for performance-related work and for additional study at the graduate level.

November 21st - 23rd: Faculty and Guest Artist Dance Concert at Coker College

The Coker College dance program will present its annual Faculty and Guest Artist Dance Concert Nov. 21-23 in the Watson Theater of Coker’s Elizabeth Boatwright Coker Performing Arts Center. Each show begins at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $10 for general admission, $5 for high school students and senior citizens, and free for those with a Coker ID.

Six diverse dances will be presented, ranging from theatrical and humorous to introspective and poetic. The concert features choreography from Coker dance program director Angela Gallo, assistant professors of dance Kristin Hapke and Meredith Sims, adjust faculty member Heather Watkins and guest artist Adele Meyers. Performers include the Coker College Repertory Dance Company, a pre-professional dance company, 18 dance majors, and guest dancers from Connecticut and New York.

The Dancing Room, guest artist Myers and dancers, projects the pure joy of dance. This energetic work brims with robust athleticism and tends toward a humanist perspective that emphasizes people dancing, not simply dancers moving. According to Roy C. Dicks of the Charlotte News & Observer, “The work’s uplifting exuberance lingers long after the curtain falls.” Dancer Kelli Lynch from Myers’s company recently taught this work to Coker students during an extended residency at Coker. Myers and dancers will return in April to perform their latest work, Einstein’s Happiest Thought.

The Coker College Repertory Dance Company will perform Sole, a sultry, upbeat jazz piece choreographed by Sims, who takes inspiration from legendary theater dance choreographer Jack Cole. Sims will also present aquirky, highly energetic group piece titled Knick Knack and inspired by "knick knacks" found around a home.

Tracking by Hapke is a highly physical quintet with aggressive partnering and suspended lifts that push the mental and physical endurance of the dancers. Originally created in 2004, Tracking was presented at The Kennedy Center during the American College Dance Festival, where it earned Hapke a nomination for ACDF/Dance Magazine Outstanding Choreographer award.

Gallo’s Out of View, an introspective and fluid contemporary dance work, intertwines dancers explore what is hidden and what becomes revealed. Illuminating the subconscious is the thematic material underlining Heather Watkins Little Spoon. This intimate and fluid duet first began as an underwater aesthetic study and continues to embody the aspect of reflection.

After Friday night’s performance, performers and choreographers will hold a Q&A session immediately following the show. For more information or questions about tickets, contact Gallo at 843-383-8381 oragallo@coker.edu .

Coker College's Gallo receives statewide honor

Coker College Associate Professor of Dance Angela M. Gallo received the South Carolina Dance Association’s Honor Award, the highest award given by the South Carolina Alliance for Health Physical Education, Recreation and Dance, at the Alliance’s annual conference and exposition held in Myrtle Beach, S.C., last week.

“It was a personal privilege for me to see Angela receive this award,” said Coker College President Robert Wyatt.  “She epitomizes the commitment to excellence and the spirit of service that have become signature characteristics of Coker College faculty.  We could not be more proud of this singular achievement.”

“The Honor Award was given to Angela, in large part, because she serves as such an outstanding role model for students, clients and the professionals of the Association through her 10 years of membership,” said Katy Dallas, who chairs the Honors and Awards Committee for the South Carolina Dance Association.

Criteria for the award include service to the South Carolina Alliance, pioneering leadership in the profession, meritorious service to allied fields, public and professional presentations, and community service. 

Gallo serves as the southeast regional director of the American College Dance Festival.  She is also the artistic director of Sapphire Moon Dance Company in Columbia, S.C.

She dances with the Power Company in South Carolina. She has performed in the works of Jose Limon, Doug Varone, Christian Von Howard and Dan Wagoner and performed with AmDAT: Dance Art Technology (New York). She has worked on smaller projects with Ballet Preljocaj and Anou Skan (France) and EisenhowerDance Ensemble (Michigan).

Gallo was runner-up for the South Carolina Arts Commission’s Fellowship in Dance in 2007 and has been the recipient of grants from the Cultural Council of Richland and Lexington Counties.  She has received grants from Black Creek Arts Council and South Carolina Arts Commission, including the Dance Touring Initiative Grant to bring contemporary dance to underserved communities.

Gallo has a Bachelor of Fine Arts in theater and dance from Central Connecticut State University and a Master of Fine Arts in dance from the University of Michigan. 

Coker Dance Students to Present Fall Showcase

The Coker College Dance Program will present “Facets of Time,” Oct. 6, 7 and 8, each evening at 7:30 p.m. in the Watson Theater of the Elizabeth Boatwright Coker Performing Arts Center.  

“The concert, a student choreography showcase, will feature works by seven students that range in style from upbeat and jazzy to contemporary and more serious pieces,” said Associate Professor of Dance and coordinator of Coker’s dance program Angela M. Gallo.  

Every year the Coker College department of dance, music and theater hosts a fully realized concert (with complete production and technical support including lighting, sound, scenery, props and costumes) of works cast, danced and choreographed by students ranging in experience from freshman to seniors.  

Tickets are $5 for general admission.  Admission for Coker faculty, staff and students is free.  

For more information, please contact Gallo at 843-383-8381 or agallo@coker.edu.