New Moves Dance Showcase: ‘Offbeat’ advanced student choreography Dec. 4 – 6

Eleven theatrical pieces fuse modern, hip-hop, ballet, Middle Eastern, African, inspired by emotions

SAN FRANCISCO, November 6, 2008 — San Francisco State University’s School of Music and Dance highlights its top student choreography and performance in the New Moves Dance Showcase at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 4 and 8 p.m. Dec. 5 and 6 in the McKenna Theatre on campus.

Titled “Offbeat” by the 11 student choreographers, the annual New Moves Dance Showcase premieres their emotional works that convey moments when one’s life veers off track, attacking dark themes with dynamic, theatrical movements and humor. The works fuse dance styles including modern, contemporary, hip-hop, ballet, Middle Eastern and African.

The student choreographers are: Cedric Adams, Sierrah Dietz, Folawole, Nicole Fosberg, Roberto Garcia II, Olivia Griffin, Aymui Hori, Stephanie Hyland, Dachelle Johnson-Burke, Kyle Elliott Limin and Dominique Nigro. About 25 dancers will perform in solo and group works. To accompany Griffin’s piece, a cellist, violinist and pianist will perform a composition by Arnie Rodriguez. Dance Professor Susan Whipp is the director of the show.

Admission is $15 general and $8 for students and seniors.

For more than 25 years, New Moves has brought emerging artists’ work to stage. Choreography performed at New Moves has reached the juried final gala concert at the Southwest Regional American College Dance Festival in five of the past six years. In 2004, student Serenity M-lay’s “With This Faith” was among three pieces selected for performance at the biennial National College Dance Festival at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.

Other alumni to gain invaluable experience in the New Moves Dance Showcase include Adia Whitaker, Ailey School-trained artistic director of Ase Dance Theatre Collective in New York; Elizebeth Randall, who has performed with Bay Area dance companies and won a full scholarship to Tisch School of the Arts at New York University; Kendra Kimbrough Barnes, who runs an Oakland-based dance ensemble and co-presents the Black Choreographers Festival; and Travis Rowland, who has performed and taught at schools throughout California.

The SF State School of Music and Dance, based in the College of Creative Arts, offers professional and liberal arts degrees, with more than 400 students enrolled in major programs. Music students can study jazz, classical, choral, world music, electronic music, composition, music education and more. Dance students are trained in techniques such as ballet, modern, jazz, capoeira, flamenco, kathak, Afro-Haitian and Dunham as well as preparation for K-12 dance education. Alumni include Tony and Grammy winners who conduct Broadway musicals and symphony orchestras and perform in operas. Some work as composers, arrangers, producers, conductors, singers, dancers, choreographers, educators, and leaders of professional arts organizations. The School of Music and Dance is accredited by the National Association of Schools of Music. Visit: http://musicdance.sfsu.edu.

Location and Parking
McKenna Theatre is located in the Creative Arts Building on the SF State campus, 1600 Holloway Ave. (at 19th Ave.), San Francisco. Public parking is available in Lot 20, accessed from Lake Merced Boulevard between Winston Drive and Font Boulevard. On weekends and evenings only, public parking is available in Lots 1 and 2, on Holloway Ave. (at 19th Ave.). Parking is $1 per hour with a $5 daily maximum. Nearby street parking is readily available on weekends. For details, visit www.sfsu.edu/~parking.

Calendar Editors, Please Note:
SF State New Moves Dance Showcase: Offbeat
Directed by Professor Susan Whipp
Thursday, Dec. 4, 7:30 p.m.; Friday, Dec. 5 – Saturday, Dec. 6, 8 p.m.
McKenna Theatre, Creative Arts Building, San Francisco State University, 1600 Holloway Ave. (at 19th Ave.), San Francisco, CA 94132
Information/Tickets: 415/338-2467; http://creativearts.sfsu.edu/newmoves
Admission: $15 general/$8 students and seniors

San Francisco State University’s annual New Moves Dance Showcase highlights the top original student choreography and performance. The 11 works fuse dance styles including modern, contemporary, hip-hop, ballet, Middle Eastern and African. The performances convey moments when one’s life veers off track, attacking dark themes and emotions with dynamic, theatrical movements and humor.

PHOTOS/INTERVIEWS: For photos or to schedule interviews, contact Matt Itelson at 415/338-1442 or matti@sfsu.edu.
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