For the first time at the Santa Fe College Dance program, two SF works were selected as part of the prestigious American College Dance Association’s Conference Gala.
ACDA is a nationally recognized organization that hosts regional conferences for college and university dance programs. These events bring together students, faculty, and master artists for classes, workshops, and professional adjudication, according to an SF release. Pieces are chosen from among dozens presented by programs across the nation and, of the 12 pieces selected, two are from Santa Fe College.
“Santa Fe College is one of the few two-year institutions that participates,” said Melissa Brenner, Assistant Professor of Dance/Dance Area Coordinator, in the release. “We present work alongside four-year BFA and even MFA programs—making this achievement especially meaningful.”
Audiences will be able to see these two acclaimed works—along with additional new choreography—at “Elements of Style,” at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, April 3, and Saturday, April 4, in the Jackson N. Sasser Fine Arts Hall (3000 NW 83rd St., E-127, Gainesville).
This year, both a student-created work and a faculty-created work were chosen for the Gala based on exceptional choreography and performance quality.
The student work was “NOID,” choreographed by Garrett Perry, an SF dance graduate who is pursuing a Bachelor’s of Fine Arts in dance at the University of Florida, and performed by students Aydin Robinson, Lila Mantooth, Anna Kosak, Sophie Hale, Addison Williams and Lucas Hollis.
The second work, “Unsaid,” was choreographed by SF faculty member Jessie Dominguez and performed by students Gylla Macgregor and Aydin Robinson
Dominguez, a former principal dancer in the National Ballet of Cuba who is serving her first year as a full-time professor, discussed the opportunity as a new faculty member to create a new choreographic work in collaboration with her students.
“Drawing from my background in classical ballet while weaving in the ideas and skills they are developing in the Partnering and Variations class I teach, the process unfolded in a very organic and heartfelt way,” she said in the release. “What emerged was a beautiful dialogue between teacher and dancers—an opportunity for all of us to express not only our artistry, but also our shared humanity.”