March 28, 2022
Students from Oakland University’s School of Music, Theatre and Dance will be performing in Young Choreographers Forum, Choreography II Showings, and Senior Dance Recital this April at the Detroit Country Day School (DCDS) in Beverly Hills, Mich.
Featuring the Oakland Dance Theatre and OU Repertory Dance Company, the Young Choreographers Forum will take place on Saturday, April 2 and Friday, April 8 at DCDS. Take Root, one of OU’s professional dance companies-in-residence, and OU alumnus Craig Miller will also contribute stunning pieces for this concert, which will be directed by Thayer Jonutz, associate professor of dance, and Elizabeth Riga, a lecturer in dance at OU.
“Miller’s piece, 3x3x3-3, is inspired by angel number 333, which symbolizes encouragement in making the correct choices in life,” Riga said. “In numerology, the number 12 is broken down to the number 3, which is a symbol of confidence and self-reliance. In making the right choices for ourselves, we cultivate self-trust and be who we truly are.”
Take Root will restage one of their repertory pieces, Airplanes and Elevators. Under the direction of company director Ali Woerner, the piece, originally created in 2019, will be res-staged for the OU dancers and set to the original score, created by Take Root Musical Director and Composer Jon Anderson.
“Airplanes and Elevators is based on the idea of the limited meetings we have with people we don’t know on airplanes and elevators and the short-lived relationships we form,” Woerner said.
On Sunday, April 3, the Choreography II Showings will feature the student’s collaborative process.
“This semester we were inspired by the concept of working together and creating something as a community,” Riga said. “This work is motivated by our improvisational studies in Choreography II this semester. We will show a mix of structured improvisation and set movement studies we developed while together and apart; this piece is influenced by our strong desire to connect and be present as a group.”
The Senior Dance Recital performances, an annual production created by fourth-year BFA dance majors, will take place on Tuesday, April 5 and Wednesday, April 6.
“For 2022, six seniors will perform their created solos, as well as group pieces performed by fellow dance majors,” Woerner said. “The Senior Concert is a true celebration of years in the making for these dance majors, as they close their chapter in higher education and start their new journey in the professional world.”
Tickets range from $8 - $14 for the performances and are available at etix.com.
Detroit Country Day School is located at 22305 West 13 Mile Road in Beverly Hills, Mich.
For more information about these and other upcoming performances, visit www.oakland.edu/smtd/performances-and-events/.
Performance Schedule
• Young Choreographers Forum
Saturday April 2 at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m.
Friday, April 8 at 8 p.m.
• Choreography II Showings
Sunday, April 3 at 2 p.m.
• Senior Dance Recital
Tuesday, April 5 at 7:30 p.m.
Wednesday, April 6 at 7:30 p.m.