CFA

Martha Graham Dance Company Celebrates 100th Anniversary with Expansive Program

Zoe Harr — Mon, 01 Apr 2024 13:40:19 +0000

Martha Graham Dance Company Celebrates 100th Anniversary with Expansive Program Zoe Harr Mon, 04/01/2024 - 09:40

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Martha Graham Dance Company performs at the Center on April 13.

On April 13, the oldest modern dance ensemble in the country, Martha Graham Dance Company, returns to the Center with a program that celebrates the company’s 100th anniversary through iconic classics and new work. The spectacular program features pieces by choreographers Agnes de Mille, Jamar Roberts, and of course, Martha Graham, including a special performance by Mason School of Dance students.

Opening the April performance is Graham’s Steps in the Street, a piece that originated as part of a larger project entitled Chronicle. The piece was created in response to the rise of fascism in Europe during the 1930s and features sharp, uncomfortable movements meant to entice its audience into questioning the violent nature of war. Steps in the Street notes a subtitle of “Devastation – Homelessness – Exile” which depicts the tragedy that war leaves in its wake. In a special collaboration with Martha Graham Dance Company, Mason School of Dance students will perform the piece in its entirety, which was also featured on the program at the annual Mason School of Dance Gala Concert on March 22 and 23.

"It would be easy to forget that the performers in Saturday night’s performance by the students of the George Mason University Dance Company are just that—students," emphasizes a recent review by Maryland Theatre Guide.

Watch a preview below that features collaboration between Elizabeth Auclair, former company member with the Martha Graham Dance Company, and Mason dance students.

Agnes de Mille in Rodeo (1942). (Photo Credit: Maurice Seymour)

Next, Martha Graham Dance Company dancers perform the iconic Rodeo (pronounced Roh-day-oh), a piece created by choreographer Agnes de Mille set to music by famed composer Aaron Copland. In its 1942 debut at New York’s Metropolitan Opera House, it’s claimed that curtain call lasted 17 to 23 minutes from an uproarious standing ovation. Telling a classic American story of cowboys and true love, de Mille’s Rodeo impressed two audience members in particular, composer Richard Rodgers and lyricist Oscar Hammerstein II, who invited de Mille to collaborate during the creation of their latest musical, Oklahoma! Thus, de Mille also then created “Laurey Makes Up Her Mind,” Oklahoma!’s 18-minute dream ballet sequence that classic musical lovers have come to know and enjoy.

Interested in learning more about the revolutionary Rodeo? Visit the National Endowment for the Humanities’ 2021 piece and discover the rich history of Rodeo.

Jamar Roberts' We the People will be performed by Martha Graham Dance Company on April 13. (Photo Credit: Andrew Eccles)

We the People, a new commission by acclaimed choreographer Jamar Roberts that features music by multi-instrument virtuoso and two-time GRAMMY winner Rhiannon Giddens, Artistic Director of Mason Artist-in-Residence Silkroad Ensemble, follows on the program. Roberts acted as the resident choreographer for the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater from 2019 to 2022, creating five pieces that have been met with critical acclaim. This new work is a preview that will be performed one week before the piece’s official world premiere at New York City Center. In a recent review by The Dance Enthusiast, author Toussaint Jeanlouis notes, “The dancers uphold the quintessential fierceness of Martha Graham... [and] Giddens’ track complements the movement while exposing a deeper relationship to the landscape.” He adds, “A successful partnership to say the least, this collaboration is a brilliant nod to American folk music.”

Concluding the evening’s program is Graham’s joyful Maple Leaf Rag, her 180th (and last) choreographic work, created at the age of 96 in 1990. Demonstrating the comedic, light-hearted side of her work, Maple Leaf Rag features a contemporary choreographer and gently mocks the artist, demonstrating the goofiness of those in the clutches of creation. According to the Seattle Times, “Graham created a dance that spoofs some of her well-known choreographic trademarks while, at the same time, using many of her movements in fresh and energetic ways.” The work is set to the beloved ragtime piece by Scott Joplin with costumes designed by the acclaimed fashion designer Calvin Klein.

Watch a preview of Maple Leaf Rag below.

Buy tickets and witness what the Washington Post calls “one of the seven wonders of the artistic universe,” Martha Graham Dance Company on April 13.

This program is sponsored by Woodleigh Chase.

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CFA

College of Visual and Performing Arts School of Dance

Center for the Arts

A.I.M by Kyle Abraham Engages George Mason University and Local Community

Zoe Harr — Wed, 28 Feb 2024 20:17:51 +0000

A.I.M by Kyle Abraham Engages George Mason University and Local Community Zoe Harr Wed, 02/28/2024 - 15:17

In This Story

Victor Adebusola

LaNitra M. Berger, PhD

Lawrence M. Jackson

Shauna Rigaud

Learn More About Mason's Artist-in-Residence Program

Mason School of Dance juniors and seniors with A.I.M artist, Gianna Theodore, at an A.I.M Movement Workshop.

On February 17, A.I.M by Kyle Abraham presented a thrilling collection of works by acclaimed choreographers, including its artistic director and MacArthur Genius Award-winning choreographer Kyle Abraham.This company aims to create a body of dance-based work that is galvanized by Black culture and history, featuring the rich tapestry of Black and Queer stories. In a recent San Diego Union-Tribune article, A.I.M’s goals are emphasized, noting, “In Kyle Abraham’s movement vocabulary, certain words are in regular rotation. ‘Purpose. Intention. Fearlessness.’ All are streams of thought that inhabit choreography meant to explore themes of history, identity and Black culture.”

A.I.M Movement Workshop with Dance Place in Washington, D.C.

Want to learn more about A.I.M by Kyle Abraham’s mission and core values? Read more on the company’s official website.

As a Mason Artist-in-Residence, members of A.I.M by Kyle Abraham worked with Mason as well as communities within Manassas, Washington, D.C., and local communities in a variety of activities ranging from classroom visits to A.I.M Movement Workshops that brought participants up on their feet.

Programming and Engagement Manager at the Center Vic Adebusola notes, “A.I.M by Kyle Abraham was a pleasure to work with and I’m grateful for the opportunity to bring them to our campus and local community. They facilitated several impactful workshops and participated in panels that fostered cultural exchange and understanding of the lived experiences of Black dancers and artists. I think it’s safe to say that A.I.M left a lasting impact on our community partners and audience alike.”

Putting the "Artists" in Artists-in-Residence: Meet the Participating A.I.M Artists

Jamaal Bowman (he/him) began his dance training at the age of 14 in Maryland, where he was born and raised. In 2021, he graduated from the University of the Arts in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, as a Director’s Scholar, under the direction of Donna Faye Burchfield. Over the years he has collaborated with Nora Chipaumire, Tommie Waheed-Evans, Maleek Washington, Helen Pickett, Fana Fraser, Jocelyn Cottencin, Nacera Belaza, and Sidra Bell. His personal practices are centered around queer Black joy, theater, improvisation, and comedy. Bowman joined A.I.M by Kyle Abraham in 2022.

Donovan Reed (they/them), a native of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, began their dance training at the age of 16. Soon after, Reed attended college at The University of the Arts where they received their BFA in May of 2016. They have performed works by choreographers such as Sidra Bell, Regina Van Berkel, Sharon Eyal, Tommie Waheed-Evans, Beth Gill, Andrea Miller, Tania Isaac, Meredith Rainey, and Helen Simoneau. Reed joined A.I.M by Kyle Abraham in 2018.

Gianna Theodore (she/her) was raised in West Palm Beach, Florida and began her dance training at Ballet East Studio under the direction of Susan Lyle and Chelsea Nasby. Gianna is a graduate of A.W. Dreyfoos School of the Arts, and a three-time YoungArts Merit Scholar/Honorable Mention. She graduated with a BFA in dance from the Ailey/Fordham BFA program Class of 2020. She has performed professionally with artists such as Ebony Williams, Mark Caserta, Maleek Washington, and Jennifer Archibald. Gianna joined A.I.M by Kyle Abraham in 2019.

Kicking off residency activities on February 13 was a discussion and Q&A session with Professor Shauna Rigaud’s section of AFAM200: “Introduction to African American Studies,” moderated by Director of African and African American Studies (AAAS) and associate professor, Dr. LaNitra Berger. A.I.M members Gianna Theodore and Donovan Reed introduced themselves, providing background on their dance history and personal experiences as minorities in often predominantly white dance spaces. In addition to personal anecdotes, the artists discussed the intersection of art and advocacy, connecting those ideas to their participation as dancers in A.I.M. Students were given an opportunity to ask questions.

Dr. LaNitra Berger (left) with A.I.M artists, Donovan Reed (center) and Gianna Theodore (right).

Dr. Berger reflected on the time with the company, stating, “AAAS thoroughly enjoyed its engagement with A.I.M. and their talented dancers. We believe that art is an important vehicle for fostering mutual exchange and understanding. During the panel discussion with the AFAM 200 students, the A.I.M. dancers touched on many important issues of identity, community, and how movement can energize and empower people to make social change. Our students were thrilled to have multiple opportunities to get to know more about A.I.M. through dialogue and through attending their performance."

Later, in a classroom visit to Mason School of Dance’s “Senior Synthesis” senior students, Theodore was joined by fellow A.I.M company member Jamaal Bowman to discuss pursuing a professional career in dance. The conversation not only covered the logistics of making a living as a professional dancer, but also included the importance of self-advocacy and self-care. Theodore and Bowman shared stories from their career, expanding upon their own artistic journeys and advice that led them down their respective paths.

The City of Fairfax Theatre Company with A.I.M artists Jamaal Bowman and Donovan Reed at "Unifying Uniqueness" workshop.

The day concluded with a special visit to the Center for the Arts by the City of Fairfax Theatre Company where Bowman and A.I.M artist, Donovan Reed, led a part-conversation and part-movement workshop entitled “Unifying Uniqueness.” Adult students investigated ideologies surrounding uniqueness and applied the concepts to themselves, using these discoveries as point of discussion and dance inspiration. The group engaged in a dialogue centered around early memories, culminating in integrated movement with ideas of perception, family, and freedom.

A.I.M artist Gianna Theodore leads Mason School of Dance students at an A.I.M Movement Workshop.

The following three days consisted of A.I.M Movement Workshops with students ranging in a spectrum of age, skill level, and location. On February 14, Gianna Theodore led a Movement Workshop with 25 high school dance students at Fairfax Academy for Communication and the Arts. In a recent interview with Dance Magazine, Theodore states, “I learn so much about the dancers through teaching. I just love dance so much, so to transmit my love in this educational way is both challenging and fulfilling.” Jamaal Bowman led participants at Washington, D.C.’s Dance Place and Donovan Reed led approximately 25 high school dance students from Charles J. Colgan High School in Manassas (or Prince William County).

Mason School of Dance students from freshmen to seniors, totaling over 75 students of advanced skill level, participated in the A.I.M Movement Workshops led by both Theodore and Bowman. Adebusola notes, “I loved observing how shocked the A.I.M instructors were at the talent of our School of Dance students.”

In addition to Mason Artist-in-Residence activities with Mason’s School of Dance, Kyle Abraham’s Drive will be featured in the Mason School of Dance Gala Concert on March 22 and 23. Watch the video below to see the collaboration between Mason School of Dance students and A.I.M by Kyle Abraham company member, Jae Neal:

Prior to A.I.M by Kyle Abraham’s February 17 performance, A.I.M’s Rehearsal Director Jessica Tong joined Mason School of Dance Professor Lawrence M. Jackson for a pre-performance discussion in Monson Grand Tier at the Center for the Arts. After a moderated Q&A session, audience members were given an opportunity to ask additional questions. The performance’s program featured impressive pieces including Someday Soon (Keerati Jinakunwiphat), Just Your Two Wrists (Paul Singh), and MotorRover (Kyle Abraham) as well as a preview of a new work by acclaimed choreographer Andrea Miller titled YEAR.

“[T]he dancers’ relentless physicality and ability to morph between styles and movement qualities created a through line that ran the length of the performance,” notes Maryland Theatre Guide’s reviewer Justin Rustle. Read the full article.

In a recent Dance Enthusiast article, A.I.M’s consistently impactful performances are emphasized, stating, “Soul-stirring, heartfelt, and empowering, A.I.M. shares a message applicable to everyone: what it means to love. Dance is a professed love language and Abraham creates a script which is a love letter to the art of dance itself." A.I.M by Kyle Abraham not only succeeded in performing an awe-inspiring performance that ended in a standing ovation, but created a lasting impression on Mason’s community and beyond.

Charles J. Colgan High School students with A.I.M artist Donovan Reed at an A.I.M Movement Workshop.

Read more about the Center for the Arts Mason Artist-in-Residence program, including the upcoming 2023/2024 visiting artist, Small Island Big Song on April 20.

The Mason Artist-in-Residence program is supported in part by the Wendy Frieman and David Johnson Fund.

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CFA

Mason Artists-in-Residence

Mason Artist-in-Residence A.I.M by Kyle Abraham Leads Events Across Campus and Community

Zoe Harr — Mon, 08 Jan 2024 20:40:32 +0000

Mason Artist-in-Residence A.I.M by Kyle Abraham Leads Events Across Campus and Community Zoe Harr Mon, 01/08/2024 - 15:40

A.I.M by Kyle Abraham performs at the Center on February 17. (Photo credit: Steven Pisano; Dancer: Donovan Reed).

On February 17, A.I.M by Kyle Abraham presents works by acclaimed choreographers, as well as its artistic director and MacArthur Genius Award-winning choreographer Kyle Abraham, in an evening of visionary works using various dance and music styles that uncover the relationships between identity, history, and geography.

In a 2023 New York Times article, the company’s goals are emphasized, stating, “Kyle Abraham has a mission—and it’s bigger than himself. He likes to spread the love with his company, A.I.M., and, in doing so, broaden the viewer’s experience of what a dance concert by a choreographer-led company can be."

This Black-led contemporary dance company aims to create a body of dance-based work that is galvanized by Black culture and history while promoting the power of dance and diverse perspectives.

“As an artist born in the late 1970s, I’ve experienced a change in society that brings me hope. My choreography is a reflection of that hope, but also lives in the reality of my experiences and the cultural work that still needs to be done,” says Kyle Abraham, artistic director.

Want to learn more about A.I.M by Kyle Abraham’s mission and core values? Read more on the company’s official website.

As a Mason Artist-in-Residence, A.I.M by Kyle Abraham company members will also work with the community through classes and workshops surrounding the performance, which are detailed below.

In a classroom visit to Mason School of Dance’s “Senior Synthesis” course taught by instructor Susan Shields, senior dance students will be joined by A.I.M company members and discuss career opportunities, professional development, and advice, through the lens of A.I.M company members lived experiences.
The company will engage with the students of Mason’s African and African American Studies (AAAS) program.
City of Fairfax Theatre Company members and A.I.M artists collaborate in a workshop titled “Unifying Uniqueness.” Part conversation and part movement workshop, “Unifying Uniqueness” investigates the ideologies surrounding uniqueness and likenesses in each participant. Led by A.I.M company members, students of all levels will learn phrases of material from A.I.M repertory; engage in a dialogue centered around early memories; and integrate movement with ideas of perception, family, and freedom.
A.I.M. company members will lead an A.I.M Movement Workshop with local high school students at Fairfax Academy and Colgan High School, as well as Mason School of Dance students and Washington, D.C.’s Dance Place adult students of both intermediate and advanced skill level.

In addition to these special residency events, a pre-performance discussion with A.I.M by Kyle Abraham Rehearsal Director Jessica Tong will take place on Monson Grand Tier prior to the performance on February 17. The discussion will be moderated by School of Dance faculty member, Lawrence M. Jackson.

Get tickets today and experience “one of the most consistently excellent troupes working today” (New York Times), A.I.M by Kyle Abraham on February 17.

In This Story

Susan Shields

Lawrence M. Jackson

Learn About Mason's Artist in Residence Program

Black History Month at the Center for the Arts

The A.I.M by Kyle Abraham residency is part of February Black History Month events at the Center for the Arts. Read more about the offerings.

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CFA

Mason Artists-in-Residence

Artist in Residence

College of Visual and Performing Arts School of Dance

Campus News

Black History Month

Four Acclaimed Choreographers Showcased in 2022 Mason Dance Gala Concert

Zoe Harr — Wed, 02 Mar 2022 17:35:11 +0000

Four Acclaimed Choreographers Showcased in 2022 Mason Dance Gala Concert Zoe Harr Wed, 03/02/2022 - 12:35

In This Story

Karen Reedy

Christopher d'Amboise

Dance Gala Concert

2022 Mason Dance Fete

D.C.-area dance enthusiasts have the opportunity to witness some of the most exquisite dance works from across the country this spring at the Mason Dance Company’s 2022 Gala Concert on March 25 and 26.

2022 Dance Gala Concert at the Center for the Arts on March 25 and 26. (Photo by Tim Coburn)

“We are thrilled to be back in-person for the annual Mason Dance Company Gala Concert this year. Our company is honored and excited to perform work from some of the most important choreographers of our time while showcasing the incredible talent of our young artists at the start of their professional careers,” says Director of the Mason School of Dance Karen Reedy.

This eagerly anticipated program returns as a in-person performance this year, showcasing George Mason University School of Dance students in four thrilling and technically-demanding works choreographed by some of the biggest names in dance: Camille A. Brown (City of Rain), Alejandro Cerrudo (Silent Ghost [excerpt]), as well as world premieres by Christopher d'Amboise and Larry Keigwin.

Held prior to the March 26 Dance Gala Concert performance, the Mason Dance Fête is an intimate benefit to showcase Mason dancers and programs. Guests of the Fête are invited into studios to see sections of the works to be performed by students, who also present insights about the choreographer and the work itself. All net proceeds from the Mason Dance Fête go toward the School of Dance scholarship funds.

Held prior to the March 26 Dance Gala Concert performance, the Mason Dance Fête is a benefit to showcase Mason dancers and programs. (Photo by Tim Coburn)

Meet the Choreographers:

Camille A. Brown is a prolific Black female choreographer, who is reclaiming the cultural narratives of African American identity. Some of her most recent artistic endeavors include being co-director and choreographer for New York Metropolitan Opera’s production of Fire Shut Up in My Bones and choreographer of Porgy and Bess. She has also directed and choreographed the upcoming Broadway revival of for colored girls who have considered suicide/when the rainbow is enuf, opening April 1. Her bold work taps into both ancestral stories and contemporary culture to capture a range of deeply personal experiences, empowering Black bodies to tell their story using their own language through movement and dialogue.

City of Rain, a dance for 10 with music by Jonathan Melville Pratt, was created for her own company in 2010. The work was recreated for the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater in 2019, and that is the version which has been staged for the Mason Dance Company. City of Rain draws upon the emotional depth of losing a close friend and takes the audience through a journey of rich choreographic composition, complex rhythms, and movement signature.

Additionally, the Center for the Arts will welcome Camille A. Brown and Dancers, as a Mason Artist-in-Residence, for a creative development residency with Mason’s School of Dance and the greater Northern Virginia community. This residency will lead up to their Center for the Arts performance the following weekend, on April 2.

Alejandro Cerrudo is an award-winning international choreographer whose body of work has been performed by more than 20 professional dance companies across the globe. Cerrudo was appointed the first ever Resident Choreographer for Pacific Northwest Ballet in 2020, following his decade-long role as resident choreographer for Hubbard Street Dance Chicago. With his work in high demand from the New York City Ballet, the Guggenheim, and Ballet Theater Basel, dancing his work is a tremendous opportunity for students to explore the “rippling, serpentine flow” (The New York Times) of Cerrudo’s choreographic vision. Originally created for Aspen Santa Fe Ballet, our dancers will perform the signature haunting duet from Silent Ghost, to the music of Nils Frams. This sensual duet takes the audience on an emotional, intimate journey through luscious and fluid partnering.

Christopher d'Amboise is currently a Heritage Professor in the School of Dance at George Mason University. Born into a family of dancers, he became a principal dancer in the New York City Ballet, and from 1990 to 1994, he was the artistic director, president, and CEO of the Pennsylvania Ballet. He also has a passion for musical theater and performed in the Broadway production of Song and Dance, which earned him a Tony Award nomination for Best Featured Actor in a Musical. d’Amboise’s yet-to-be-titled world premiere is set to Ravel’s Piano Concerto in G major. He says, “The 2nd movement is exciting with its sweeping lyrical exaltation that is suddenly undercut by intentional ‘wrong notes’ expressing a kind of ‘broken beauty’ that is haunting and captivating.” With that in mind, d’Amboise juxtaposes traditional poetic phrasing with contemporary athleticism and angular lines. Nine dancers move as a collective community, weathering sweeping emotional turmoil, joyful exuberance, and a shared sense of strength in unity.

Larry Keigwin is the final choreographer to be featured in this thrilling evening of dance. His numerous career credits include curator, choreographer, dancer, educator, and artistic director. Since founding KEIGWIN + COMPANY in 2003, Keigwin created more than 23 works for the company, which have seen performances on stages including The Kennedy Center, The Joyce Theater, Works & Process at the Guggenheim, and the New York City Center. A native New Yorker, Keigwin’s choreography is characterized by “a theatrical sensibility of wit, style, and heart” and he has received global recognition for his commitment to education and preparation of young dancers for substantial professional careers in contemporary dance. The Mason Dance Company will premiere his new work titled Parade, set to an energetic new score by Curtis Macdonald. Parade is an action-packed dance featuring 20 dancers that delight the senses with bounding and groove through the space, moving in and out of complex patterns.

Topics

College of Visual and Performing Arts (CVPA)

College of Visual and Performing Arts School of Dance

CFA

Get Ready for Camille A. Brown & Company

Kirstin Franko — Wed, 01 Dec 2021 22:44:51 +0000

Get Ready for Camille A. Brown & Company Kirstin Franko Wed, 12/01/2021 - 17:44

Choreographer, director, and dancer Camille A. Brown brings her company to the Center for the Arts this spring. (Photo by Josefina Santos)

“Why do we dance? Why do we dance together?”

Prolific, Black female choreographer Camille A. Brown tackles these profound but straightforward questions through vibrant, intensely athletic, story-infused social dance that has brought the pint-sized phenom tremendous acclaim and catapulted her to fame. Fresh off her critically acclaimed co-direction and choreography of the Metropolitan Opera’s Fire Shut Up in My Bones and in the midst of making history as the first Black woman to direct and choreograph a Broadway production in more than 65 years with for colored girls who considered suicide/when the rainbow is enuf, Brown is bringing her Bessie-Award-winning company, Camille A. Brown & Dancers to the Center Saturday, April 2 at 8 p.m.*

The New York Times calls her “one of the most sought-after choreographers of her generation,” and the Pittsburgh Tribune writes, “Brown’s combination of dance styles, precision and fluidity, and remarkable musicality were enthralling.” In addition to her flourishing stage, television, and film credits, the much in-demand Brown leads the Camille A. Brown & Dancers with a focus to inspire and incite positive social change.

The company will be bringing that mission to the Center for an exuberant program that blends hip hop, modern, African, ballet, and tap and boldly explores African American history, culture, and identity. They will also be engaging with the greater community as Artists-in-Residence, holding masterclasses and events. The residency surrounds the company’s Center for the Arts debut, which will feature selections from their trilogy of works including Mr. TOL E. RAncE,” “BLACK GIRL: Linguistic Play,” and “ink.”

Later in the spring, Brown’s work “City of Rain” will be featured as part of the 2022 Mason Dance Gala Concert, performed by students of Mason’s School of Dance. On Wednesday, November 24, Brown took part in a first residency event during a zoom conversation with the members of the School of Dance community, including students, faculty, and staff.

During the conversation, Brown shared what she is looking forward to about the company’s performance at the Center:

“I have a couple of new members, so it's going to be exciting to introduce them to the community. There's just so much that’s gone on, with COVID and in terms of race. For instance, we're doing a portion of “Mr. TOL E. RAncE” which is about Black stereotypes in the media… I remember in 2011 when I was starting to work on that particular piece people were saying, “Barack Obama’s in the White House, we don't need to talk about race anymore--we’re in a post-racial society.” We performed the piece that year and again in 2019. I didn’t hear a single person say anything about a “post-racial society.” It'll be interesting, as we continue to unpack these past events and things continue to reveal themselves, how people respond to the work.”

For more on Camille’s recent work and journey as a choreographer, dancer, and performer, read this recent article by her alma mater University of North Carolina School of the Arts or enjoy her video featured by the TED Radio Hour on “The history of African-American social dance.”

Don't miss your chance to see Camille A Brown & Dancers in Fairfax at the Center for the Arts Saturday, April 2 at 8 p.m.

*This story has been edited to reflect Camille A. Brown & Dancers new performance date of April 2, 2022. The original performance was scheduled for January 22, 2022.

Topics

CFA

Center for the Arts

College of Visual and Performing Arts School of Dance

At Arts Emerging, the Arts Return In-Person to George Mason

96ab7f9bab134dd391354ecdce10b5cfPam Muirheid — Thu, 30 Sep 2021 15:31:57 +0000

At Arts Emerging, the Arts Return In-Person to George Mason 96ab7f9bab134d… Thu, 09/30/2021 - 11:31

In This Story

Shaun Boyle D'Arcy

Gregory Washington

Dr. Michael Nickens

Arts Emerging raised more than $155,000 to support the arts at Mason.

A welcome return to live, in-person arts performances and exhibitions was celebrated September 25 at the George Mason University Center for the Arts.

Arts Emerging: A Celebration of Renewal brought more than 300 people to the Fairfax Campus on a Saturday evening for a festive event that pulsed with artistic energy and the spirit of community.

Combining outdoor and indoor performances by students, faculty, and alumni, art exhibits, film screenings, hands-on activities, and more, Arts Emerging launched the 2021-22 Center for the Arts season, while also marking the 20^th anniversary of the university’s College of Visual and Performing Arts.

“The arts have become one of Mason’s signature tools for the university to engage with its community,” said Rick Davis, dean of the College of Visual and Performing Arts. “Arts Emerging is a powerful example of that in action.”

A highlight of the outdoor performances presented on Holton Plaza was a performance of Pause: Reset, delivered by School of Dance students and choreographed by faculty member Shaun Boyle D’Arcy. One performer, senior dance major Hadiya Matthews, reflected afterward on the challenges of the past year and how students have rallied. “During Covid and everything that was happening in the world, it was pretty heavy and kind of sad,” Matthews said. “I think that when we had discussions and ‘collabbed’ and really talked about how we felt, a big thing that kept us strong was community, and how—no matter what we’re going through—we’re all related to one another. That’s something that we can come back to, so building this piece of community was really special.”

Meanwhile, in the adjacent Buchanan Hall Atrium Gallery, viewers enjoyed a major exhibition, Women of the Same Blood, combining photography and family history by Zia Palmer, BFA Photography ’19, with the opportunity to meet and talk with the artist. Buchanan Hall also hosted screenings by Film and Video Studies alumni, and an interactive virtual reality experience by the Computer Game Design program.

Later, inside the Center for the Arts, Mason President Gregory Washington welcomed a mix of students, supporters, and Mason faculty and staff. “The arts are the front door to the university,” Washington said. “Many of you found that great big front door and you came through it to become involved with our College of Visual and Performing Arts. And then that introduced you to the larger university.”

Guest appearances on the Concert Hall stage included a duet by Green Machine alumni Chelsea Mohindroo, BS Mathematics ’16, MS Operations Research ’20, and Brandon Showell, BA Music and English ’14, both of whom have been contestants on NBC’s The Voice. They were followed by School of Theater alumni Garvey Dobbins, BFA Theater ’20, and Lauren Fraites, BA Theater ’20, and a finale performance by current Dewberry School of Music opera students. Members of the Green Machine, led by associate professor of music and director of the Green Machine Ensembles Michael W. Nickens (Doc Nix), also played throughout the event.

Finally, School of Dance alumna Sasha (Hollinger) Henninger, BFA Dance ’09, who made her Broadway debut in Hamilton as #thebullet, spoke about her career and her time at Mason. “I was blessed to spend 11 years in New York making a living doing what I love. I toured the country, I toured the world, and I spent my last few years there performing in two incredible shows on Broadway—easily one of my biggest dreams come true,” Henninger said. “My time, my teachers, my peers here at George Mason prepared me for that. My time at George Mason prepared me well.”

Henninger presented a special merit scholarship to current Film and Video Studies senior Taj Kokayi, whose film Woken From a Dream won the Best Student Film Award at the London Web Fest. Kokayi was a producer on the short film The Vine, which premiered during Saturday’s event. The Vine featured current Masters in Arts Management student Bobby Lacy, BA Music ’16, in a stirring spoken word performance inspired by the question of what it means to be an arts manager.

Sandy Spring Bank returned as the event’s presenting sponsor for the fourth consecutive year. “By sponsoring events like this we’re literally helping the students you saw tonight on stage realize their hopes and dreams, or give them an opportunity to,” said Jay O’Brien, executive vice president for commercial and retail banking at Sandy Spring. O’Brien has three daughters currently attending Mason—two graduate students and one undergraduate.

Arts Emerging raised more than $155,000, with proceeds supporting CVPA student scholarships, the Mason Community Arts Academy, Green Machine Ensembles, and the Great Performances at Mason season at the Center for the Arts. The event was co-chaired by Arts at Mason Board members Steven Golsch, a vice president at NowSecure, and Annie Bolger, a bank officer at Sandy Spring Bank.

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arts emerging

College of Visual and Performing Arts (CVPA)

CFA

forward together

giving to Mason

College of Visual and Performing Arts School of Dance

College of Visual and Performing Arts School of Theater

Computer Game Design

Reva and Sid Dewberry Family School of Music