By ELIZABETH SUMMERHAY
Popular children’s stories and Dr. Seuss will jump out of storybooks onto the dance stage tonight and Friday at the Richards Building.
The dance works of three graduate dance students including one based on Dr. Suess books and another involving children’s stories will be featured at 7:30 in 166 RB.
“These are major works,” said Gary Hopkinson, the production manager for dance.
Lisa Stoddard and Julie Ahlander will be featuring their graduate thesis works in this concert. Kathy Blosil, a graduate student, will also be featuring her work “Tangan Ke Tangan.”
“This is the final performance Stoddard and I have for our theses,” said Julie Ahlander, a graduate student in dance-choreography from Edmond, Okla.
“We both still need to write evaluation chapters after the concert.”
The idea for Ahlander’s thesis theme evolved from her experience with improvisation. She has worked with a number of groups in the past including Extempo and the Garrens.
“This piece is an exploration of the process of improvisation — to conceive, to construct and to perform simultaneously,” Hopkinson said.
In her piece, “Spontaneous Invention,” she asks the audience for a familiar story like Goldie Locks and the Three Bears. From that point, there is one dancer who tells the story through dance and voice.
The audience gets involved in the piece as they give criteria and response, Hopkinsen said.
Stoddard’s piece, “Seuss and Such,” is based on different Dr. Seuss books.
Blosil’s piece is based on Indonesian hand movements.
The show should last an hour and fifteen minutes. Tickets are $1. Call 378-5859
