March 24, 2004 :: No: 193
Dancers Headed to Prestigious Washington
D.C. Festival
California State University, Fullerton’s
Dance Program was one of four Southwest region universities selected
to perform at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington,
D.C., following regional dance competitions at the American College
Dance Festival Association’s regional festival last week in
Scottsdale, Arizona. The national festival is set for June 1-3,
2004.
This prestigious honor was earned by CSUF dancers
Sherionne Cassell-Coleman, F. Nicholas Factoran, Tiffany Jones,
Courtney Ozovek, Crystal Regueiro and Steven DiSchiavi for their
performance of the dance piece CELLS, choreographed by CSUF alumnus
Michael Esperanza. Their performance was selected out of 54 different
works from more than 30 universities from throughout the Southwest
region.
This is the second year in a row that CSUF’s
program was chosen to perform at the Regional Gala Concert, but
this is a CSUF first for a dance piece to be selected to perform
at the Kennedy Center. In addition to this honor, CSUF dance student
Stephen DiSchiavi achieved further recognition by receiving the
Best Performer Award. Arizona State University, University of Minnesota,
Twin Cities and Loyola Marymount are the three other universities
headed to Washington, D.C., from the Southwest region.
According to CSUF Dance Coordinator Debra Noble, “Our
dancers overcame many challenges to bring the power, depth and artistry
of the choreography to the audience. They reached beyond themselves
to perform with strength and vulnerability. The dancers were able
to communicate the layers of the choreography and speak to our humanity.
I am extremely proud of all of them,” she added.
The Southwest regional dance professionals who served
as adjudicators spoke highly of CSUF’s work and the performers,
saying the following:
“Mysteriously dramatic and beautifully danced.”
– Stephen Koester, ACDFA adjudicator
“Brilliant performing by entire ensemble. They
created a poetic resonance on stage.”
–Doug Elkins, ACDFA adjudicator
“They created a world for me to enter.”
–Kevin Wynn, ACDFA adjudicator
The American College Dance Festival Association's
primary focus is to support and promote the wealth of talent and
creativity that is prominent throughout college and university dance
departments. ACDFA's sponsorship of regional and national dance
festivals provides the venue for students to engage in three days
of workshops, lecture/ demonstrations and master classes taught
by instructors from around the region and country. The festivals
also provide the unique opportunity for students and faculty to
have their dance works adjudicated by a panel of nationally recognized
dance professionals in an open and constructive forum. Culminating
with the presentation of pieces selected for their exemplary artistic
quality, the festivals are the primary means for college and university
dance programs to perform outside their own academic setting and
be exposed to the diversity of the national college dance world.
ACDFA has established nine regions throughout the country for organizational
purposes and maintains a strong regional structure through its regional
representatives and institutional membership to help facilitate
the exchange of information. Colleges and universities may attend
any regional festival and may present one or two works for adjudication.
ACDFA also sponsors the National College Dance Festival.
A biennial event, the National Festival showcases works selected
from each regional festival for presentation at gala concerts at
the Kennedy Center's Terrace Theater. The 11th annual National College
Dance Festival is scheduled for June 2004.
Media Contacts: |
Jim Volz, CSUF professor of theatre, 657-278-3538
Diane DeFries, ACDFA, (301) 770-4443 |
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