For additional information about any of the news stories listed below, please contact Rodger Boyce in the NCTC Office of Marketing & Public Relations, 1525 W. California St., Gainesville, TX 76240, telephone 940-668-4255. All material Copyright 2003, North Central Texas Community College District.

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DANCE DEPARTMENT PRESENTS FALL CONCERT "REFLECTIONS"
See PHOTO at conclusion of article.

GAINESVILLE, TEXAS – “Reflections” is the theme of the first major concert of the fall semester by Dance Department students from both the Gainesville and Corinth campuses of North Central Texas College, and the November 30 program is open to the public at no charge.

Neither do concertgoers need to reserve seats for the program, set to begin at 7:30 p.m. on the main stage of the First State Bank Center for the Performing Arts on the Gainesville Campus.

“We’re excited about this opportunity to showcase the talent and many hours of hard work our students have put into this concert program,” said Shelley Padilla, Gainesville Campus dance instructor and choreographer. “We believe this program will be a real treat for the audience.”

Karen MacIntyre, her counterpart at the Corinth Campus, said the students really “pushed the envelope” in terms of choreographic creativity and finding ways to communicate ideas and emotions through dance.

“Dance truly is a celebration of art-making, as an expression of self and community,” Padilla noted. “Our students not only took the opportunity to ‘reflect’ this theme in their performances but also during the whole range of preparation for this one event through rehearsals, costume choices, musical choices and individual choreography projects.”

“Image Nation” is Padilla’s first large-group choreography project with dance students in Gainesville. She feels that this piece provides “an experience in learning about each other as we have worked toward illustrating the corruption of corporate America.” Students have given this modern work “the dark edge” needed to relay the message behind the dance.”

The second piece featured by the Gainesville dancers is a new work created by Jose Zamora titled “Desfile.” He has fused jazz/hip-hop/modern styles creating a dance with a driving beat while challenging our dancers to showcase their inner divas.

The dancers presented this work at the 21st Century After School Program Event held on Oct. 7 at Calhoun Middle School in Denton as well as at this year’s recent annual NCTC College Day.

Student choreography projects created and performed by Debra Atchison, Cassie Bradshaw, Michelle Husman, Melina Perez and Andi Townsend will also be showcased in the concert.

“We’re also particularly excited to premiere our first dance video, featuring our Gainesville dancers, as an eclectic addition to our live concert program,” Padilla said.

She described the video, titled “The Grilled Cheese Express,” as a fun experiment in taking dance outside of the classroom and into alternative settings to explore the question: “How can I remain an individual while contributing to the group?”

Corinth instructor MacIntyre noted that the solo performances her students will be performing wrestle with a common theme—the struggle for self-actualization and balance in relationships with others in our world.

“Meghan Kurth and Jennifer Phillips, who both choreographed group works for fellow classmates, have challenged the dancers to expand beyond their comfort zones in movement that offers unexpected change of level and direction at high velocity,” MacIntyre said.

Guest artist Andony Ibarra's work will also be highlighted in this concert.

“Ibarra set his piece in only three rehearsals,” MacIntyre said, “and the students amazed me with their ability to pick up and retain highly choreographed movement phrases that are filled with quick footwork and stylized gesture.”

“It is always thrilling to see the artistic achievements of our dancers,” said Gabrielle Fletcher, chair of the NCTC Drama and Dance Department. The power of dance is universal as it bridges cultures through the exploration of communication and art.”

Fletcher said NCTC is particularly fortunate to have instructors of Padilla and McIntyre’s caliber on staff. Their academic backgrounds are strengthened by a wealth of experience as professional dancers. “The real winners, of course, are our students,” Fletcher noted.

For more information contact the NCTC Department of Drama & Dance at 940-668-3318.
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PHOTO CUTLINE:
POLISHING THEIR MOVES—Students from the Dance Department at North Central Texas College rehearse one of the numbers they and fellow student dancers will be performing in the upcoming “Reflections” dance concert to be presented on November 30 at the Gainesville Campus. The program, set to begin at 7:30 p.m. on the main stage of the First State Bank Center for the Performing Arts, is free to the general public, and no reservations are required. Dancers shown, left to right, are Cayla Fritz from Murfreesboro, TN, Laura Tomlinson from Sherman, Melina Perez from Gainesville and Demetria Piper from Houston.
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