Category: Dance

Countdown to the Winspear

Post author By Aayush Chandra
Post date May 5, 2016

With the May 11 performance date looming for the Meadows at the Winspear annual benefit concert, The Meadows Symphony Orchestra and the Meadows Dance Ensemble moved their rehearsal space out of Owen Arts Center and into an unusual location: a practice basketball court in the SMU Crum Basketball Center.

On Wednesday, May 4, a team from SMU Facilities, along with Assistant Director for Music Operations David Brown, transported two full-size dance floors, 90 chairs, four tables, 60 music stands, sets, costumes, props, and a grand piano and set it all up under the basketball pennants and hoops.

The Meadows at the Winspear concert will feature the critically acclaimed Meadows Symphony Orchestra, under the direction of conductor Paul Phillips, and the Meadows Dance Ensemble, composed of top students from the Meadows School’s nationally respected dance program, in two works. The first is the premiere of a newly envisioned choreography of Stravinsky’s Firebird, created by Claudia Lavista and Victor Manuel Ruiz, noted artistic directors of the acclaimed Delfos Danza Contemporanea in Mazatlán, Mexico. The second is Martha Graham’s ballet masterpiece Appalachian Spring, featuring the world premiere of the newly completed, full orchestra version of the Pulitzer Prize-winning music by Aaron Copland. For the first time, audiences will be able to enjoy Graham’s iconic choreography accompanied by music played by a full symphony.

The orchestra and dancers will rehearse on the basketball court through Friday, May 6; on Saturday morning, May 7, everything gets packed up and transported to the Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House in the Dallas Arts District.

The annual spring concert benefits the Meadows Scholars Program at Meadows School of the Arts, and honors community leader and noted arts and civic patron Donna Wilhelm. The 2016 event chair is Heather Esping and the honorary chair is Melissa Fetter.

Tickets to the “Meadows at the Winspear” concert are $25 for adults, $20 for seniors, and $17 for students and SMU faculty and staff. They are available through the AT&T Center for the Performing Arts box office; call 214-880-0202.

For SMU alumni, a concert ticket that includes a post-concert dessert and champagne reception is available for $50; $25 of the ticket price supports the Meadows Scholars Program. Call the Meadows Development Office at 214-768-4189 for alumni ticket information.

Buy Tickets | Donate to Meadows Scholars

Below are some of the photos:

Dance

Watch: SMU Double-Major’s Senior Dance Concert Preview

Post author By Nick Rallo
Post date April 22, 2016

The annual Senior Showcase features works choreographed and produced by seniors in the SMU Meadows Division of Dance. Adrian Aguirre (B.F.A. Dance and B.A. Film & Media Arts, ’16) captured a the electric moments that encapsulate the SMU Division of Dance Spring Concert Preview.

[youtube]https://youtu.be/DZqcGR9N9tM[/youtube]

Dance Photos We Love

Five Beautiful Photos from the 2016 Spring Dance Concert

Post author By Nick Rallo
Post date April 8, 2016

The world premiere of a new interpretation of Stravinsky’s The Firebird by noted choreographers Claudia Lavista and Victor Manuel Ruiz, artistic directors of Delfos Danza Contemporanea in Mazatlán, Mexico, highlighted the 2016 Spring Dance Concert at SMU’s Meadows.

The concert opened with Appalachian Spring, one of Martha Graham’s signature works, and continued with Tschaikovsky’s Pas de Deux–an eight-minute display of ballet bravura and technique set to music that Tchaikovsky belatedly created in 1877 for Act III of Swan Lake.

Photographer Paul Phillips was on hand to capture the show.

Follow SMU Dance | 15 Minutes with SMU Dance

SMU Dance's 2016 Spring Concert opened with Appalachian Spring. The Meadows Dance Ensemble will be the first to perform the original Graham choreography accompanied by a full orchestra at "Meadows at the Winspear" gala concert. — SMU Dance’s 2016 Spring Concert opened with Appalachian Spring. The Meadows Dance Ensemble will be the first to perform the original Graham choreography accompanied by a full orchestra at “Meadows at the Winspear” gala concert.

Art Dance Film Music Theatre

Why SMU Meadows? Six Questions for Students

Post author By Nick Rallo
Post date April 6, 2016

Sasha Davis, B.F.A. Theatre/ Theatre Studies ’16

Hear five students talk about their choices, majors, internships and more

“… Totally got my world flipped … We think you can do great things … Ability to double major …” are just some of the comments shared by five performing and visual arts majors on why they picked SMU Meadows as their college of choice. They were also accepted to such schools as Carnegie Mellon, Berkeley, UCLA, University of Rochester, Indiana University, University of Minnesota, University of Texas-Austin, Florida State University, Marymount Manhattan, The Hartt School, Santa Clara University, Pomona College, University of Nevada/Las Vegas, Texas Christian University and more. Find out why they chose SMU:

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XrW907QKBOI[/youtube]

Dance Film

Watch: SMU Meadows Double-Major Cayla Simpson’s Spring Dance Concert Preview

Post author By Nick Rallo
Post date March 30, 2016

The concert opens with Appalachian Spring, one of Martha Graham’s signature works. Written at the end of World War II, it is a depiction of Americana.

The world premiere of a new interpretation of Stravinsky’s The Firebird highlights the Spring Dance Concert at SMU’s Meadows School of the Arts, March 31-April 3. The concert opens with Appalachian Spring, one of Martha Graham’s signature works. Written at the end of World War II, it is a depiction of Americana. The story tells of a spring celebration set in 19^th-century Pennsylvania as a young bride arrives in her new home.

The program continues with Tschaikovsky’s Pas de Deux, an eight-minute display of ballet bravura and technique set to music that Tchaikovsky belatedly created in 1877 for Act III of Swan Lake.

The night promises to be equal parts visual poetry and choreographic expression. SMU Meadows student Cayla Simpson, a double major in Dance and Film, made this can’t-miss preview of the groundbreaking concert. Here’s the full video:

[youtube width=”853″ height=”420″]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9cx-Fv4AKf4[/youtube]

The Spring Dance Concert takes place in the Bob Hope Theatre in the Owen Arts Center, 6101 Bishop Blvd. on the SMU campus. Performance times are 8 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday. Tickets are $13 for adults, $10 for seniors and $7 for students, SMU faculty and staff. Free parking is available at Hillcrest and Binkley or in the garage under the Meadows Museum. For more information or to purchase tickets, call 214-768-2787.