An Evening of Dance

Choreography, Cast, & Crew:

Infinite Closings
Choreography: AJ Bucy
Music & Composers: “La Leçon Particulière” by Francis Lai, “Experience” by Ludovico Einaudi
Dancers: Aidan Burnham, Ali Espino, Caroline Scoonover, Elka Nicholas-Yu, Lilly Cameron, Meredith Odegard, Nadia Khan
Lighting Designers: Matthew Landry, Topher Zane
The mood is dire, foreboding and hopeful. It opens to a woman on the brink of life and death. The second song demonstrates her limbo experience as she relives the human lifespan in all its glory and pain. At the end, you see a seed sprout. It is the tree of life and the start of a continuum, or the close to what was once infinite.
Special Thanks: My professors for their wise insight and my mother for calming me in my limbo stages.

Following Shadows
Choreography: Sadie Vaughan
Music: “Dust” by Yehezkel Raz, “Happiness Does Not Wait” by Ólafur Arnalds
Dancers: Cailean Robertson, Eden Leavey, Grace Cogley, Hailey Wood, Helen Buzzoni, Jessica Melchior, Julia Loffredo, Melina Drosinos, Triniti Davis, Maya Sheth
Lighting Designer: Sarah Colatriano
Assistant Lighting Designer: Jonathan Aspin
Following Shadows explores the concept of grieving somebody who is still alive: whether that be anticipatory loss, the end of a relationship, or grieving the person you used to be. On a deeper level, the piece explores my mother's cancer diagnosis and the effects it has had on our relationship. The choreography showcases how nobody is promised tomorrow, and nothing is guaranteed.
A special thank you to my mother for showing me how to be strong and a thank you to Lucy Cross for showing me I'll never be alone.

Shifting Tides
Choreography: Faith Dailo
Music: “To Build a Home” by Nick Squires, London Music Works, Txmy
Dancers: Ava Noce, Carolyn Payne, Eden Leavey, Elka Nicholas-Yu, Emma Wilson, Meredith Odegard, Sadie Vaughan, Triniti Davis
Lighting Designer: Alexis Cooper
Assistant Lighting Designer: Josh Tessler
Shifting Tides is about the constant shift between sides during a war, specifically the present-day “war on women”. Focusing on modern-day feminism and the restrictions on women’s rights, my piece explores those feelings of defeat and frustration, before finally moving into a more proactive approach to the situation, allowing your feelings to show rather than suppressing them.

Reverie of You
Choreography: Triniti Davis
Music: “A Song for You” by Donnie Hathaway, “Loose Change” by Brent Fiyaz
Dancers: Allison Foley, Amanda Nickles, Ava Noce, Anna Sprinkel, Cailean Robertson, Cora Steichen, Frankie Harman, Jessica Melchior, Sabine Mead Mexia, Matthew Turner
Lighting Designer: Sarah Colatriano
Assistant Lighting Designer: Jonathan Aspin
This piece explores three distinct stages of a failed relationship: “the Honeymoon,” “Conflict,” and “Failed Me.” The initial section captures the euphoria and excitement of being in a relationship for the first time. The second section explores the challenges of being driven by anger and neglecting the needs of your partner. Finally, the concluding section focuses on mourning the loss of a relationship but finding solace in the realization that the person was not the right fit for you.

Threads of Time
Choreography: Norah Myerow
Music: “Transition Instrumental” by The Irrepressibles, “Outro” by M83
Dancers: AJ Bucy, Helen Buzzoni, Faith Dailo, Maddie Murphy, Katrina Raab, Cora Steichen, Matthew Turner, Emma Wilson
Lighting Designer: Alexis Cooper
Assistant Lighting Designer: Josh Tessler
This piece captures the fleeting essence of time and explores complex relationships with the past, present, and future, along with the tension and uncertainty that lie in between each. It portrays themes of time slipping away, anxieties about the future, and the longing to slow down the present moment, providing an empowering journey through the emotional spectrum of time.

Veiled
Choreography: Carolyn Payne
Music: “Glimmer” by Tame Impala, “L’ouef” by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, “Levitation” by Beach House
Dancers: Anna Murray, Caroline Scoonover, Frankie Harman, Julia Loffredo, Katrina Raab, Melina Drosinos, Nadia Khan, Norah Myerow
Lighting Designer: Alexis Cooper
Assistant Lighting Designer: Josh Tessler
In our most difficult times, we tend to find comfort in isolation, even if only temporarily. Surpassing the comfortability of isolation and unveiling vulnerabilities within ourselves can nurture everlasting growth and reconnection.

The Ritual
Choreography: Nadia Khan
Music: “Folding of the Arms” by Chad Lawson, “8 Russian Folksongs, Op. 58:3. Melancholy Song - Lament” by Anatoly Lyadov, Shalom Ronly-Riklis, Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra
Dancers: Saayeh Zarei, Julianne Abenoja, Taly Leibowitz, Grace Cogley, Brianna Howell, Anna Murray, Lilly Cameron, Gillian Dewsbury
Lighting Designer: Sarah Colatriano
Assistant Lighting Designer: Jonathan Aspin
This piece explores the feeling of devotion to and idolization of a mentor figure, followed by the realization that this idol is undeserving of such worship. Like religious devotees, the dancers offer themselves to a seemingly higher power, experiencing the unease of blind fealty, yet they are continuously drawn back into the ritual. At last understanding the inadequacy of their hero, they lament the loss of faith and yearn for their former naivete.
Thank you to Professor Sasha Prokhorov for introducing me to the beautiful work of Anatoly Lyadov in his Russian Myths and Legends course!

False Consciousness
Choreography: Ava Noce
Music: “Take My Breath” by The Weeknd
Dancers: Allison Foley, Anna Sprinkel, Brianna Howell, Faith Dailo, Hailey Wood, Saayeh Zarei, Julianne Abenoja, Maya Sheth
Lighting Designers: Matthew Landry, Topher Zane
The German philosopher and Marxist Friedrich Engels coined the term "false consciousness" to describe the process by which a capitalist society cultivates a distorted perception of social reality, leading individuals to remain unaware of their true social and economic conditions. This concept is echoed in Karl Marx’s conflict theory, where individuals, like the dancers, are trapped within a false sense of reality and are expected to uphold society’s hierarchical structure. Throughout the dance, the dancers gradually "wake up" from this dreamlike state, realizing that oppression is not their only option and deciding to revolt. However, as Engels’ concept suggests, the hierarchy ultimately prevails.
I would like to express my heartfelt thanks to my family—Mom, Dad, Jack, and Cole—for their unwavering support and endless love. I would also like to extend my gratitude to the William & Mary Sociology Department for inspiring this piece and fostering an environment that encourages intellectual growth.

Art Moves
Choreography: Allison Foley
Music: “Hula Hoop” by Limousine, “Cogito” by Akusmi, “No Words” by The Bahama Soul Club, “jazz is for ordinary people” by Berlioz
Dancers: Full Company
Lighting Designer: Rachel Kwon
This piece explores the ever-evolving nature of art and its power to reflect, provoke, and unite. From the rise of Impressionism and groundbreaking visual movements to the pioneers of jazz to the evolution of modern dance, artistry has always responded to the pulse of the world. Through choreographic motifs, the dancers embody this evolution, showcasing art as a force of limitless creation. Art drives culture forward—it reveals truth, sparks thought, and builds community. This piece is a tribute to its enduring impact.