Dance Production Delivers a Message of Hope
The creativity and joy that invariably fill the College’s annual Dance Production were evident the moment students stepped onto the Cox Auditorium stage in April to perform the opening piece, an original work that combined dance and video. The production went on to include dance styles ranging from ballet and hip-hop to an eclectic fusion, with the performers’ high-energy creativity a constant, no matter the style.
“A majority of the pieces were driven by a narrative story that reflected the heartfelt concerns of these talented student choreographers,” Principia dance professor Hilary Harper-Wilcoxen says. “Dance after dance tackled issues of rebirth, redemption, and hope. The idea that good has the last word and that we can learn from our trials speaks to all of us. We hope that members of the audience left the theatre with a fresh outlook and a lighter, firmer step.”
Of special note this year was the debut of Found, a ballet choreographed by former American Ballet Theatre (ABT) dancer John Gardner and featuring former ABT prima ballerina Amanda McKerrow (pictured on the left), who came out of retirement for it. “Gardner and McKerrow have conducted workshops at Principia College in previous years,” says Harper-Wilcoxen. “However, this is the first time that McKerrow has performed at Principia. It was a unique honor to stage the premier and include a prima ballerina in Dance Production.”
Due to previous commitments, McKerrow performed the lead role in three out of the five performances of Found, and Harper-Wilcoxen performed in the others. This turned out to be a rare opportunity for students, who, despite having studied with Harper-Wilcoxen, had never seen her perform and were moved by her interpretation of Gardner’s work.
“Watching Hilary dance motivated me to find meaning in every movement of my own performances,” says senior Josie Christian. “It was a new revelation about what it means to be a dancer.” Senior Heidi Katz agrees, noting, “Hilary was completely engrossed in the dance. Even though I’ve learned from Hilary in dance class and worked with her as a choreographer these past three years, I learned the most watching her perform.”
Last week, Hilary Harper-Wilcoxen was selected as the Principia College 2014 Teacher of the Year by student vote.