The culminating work of six Slippery Rock University Bachelor of Fine Arts dance majors will be presented in an inspiring, entertaining and passionate showcase of dance. There will be two shows of “Roots to Branches: A Senior BFA Concert,” 2 p.m. and 5 p.m., April 26, in the Stoner West Dance Studio.
Tickets are $10 for each show and they are available for purchase online at sru.edu/tickets.
The concert celebrates the artists’ shared journey at SRU while highlighting the various artistic branches that support their chosen career paths. The seniors will come together in a final dance, choreographed by guest choreographers and SRU dance faculty members Erin Kouwe, Ursula Payne and Lindsay Viatori, who have played instrumental roles in the students’ artistic development.
“This special group of talented seniors are leaning into their own aesthetics while appreciating their roots and foundations –– from their families to early childhood mentors, to the last four years of their journey here at SRU,” said Jennifer Keller, professor of dance, department chair, and artistic director of the concert. “It’s a thrill to see them branch into these mature dance artists.”
The senior BFA dance majors and their work include:
- Skylar Ankrom, from Allentown (Lehigh Valley Charter HS), whose work dismantles traditional boundaries of space and time, and invites audiences into a multidimensional journey through the past, present, and future.
- Kailey Fraer, from Cranberry Township (Seneca Valley HS), who has created a piece utilizing legendary choreographer Merce Cunningham’s methodology called “chance procedure” to highlight movement innovation and athleticism.
- Alicia Kunkler, from Wooster, Ohio (Wooster HS), who explores the concepts that surround female bodies who embrace their feminine power.
- Taylor Snyder, from Dillsburg (Northern HS), who choreographed a dance work that transports audiences into the electrifying world of commercial dance and the industry that drives it.
- Lily Staib, from Pittsburgh (Mount Lebanon HS), who explores the evolution of contemporary ballet as it parallels her personal life, where her relationships have helped her grow and evolve as a dancer and human.
- Will VanSlander, from Saint Marys (Saint Marys HS), who dives into the world of artificial intelligence and its contributions, both positive and negative, to the realm of the arts.
More information about dance programs at SRU is available on the department’s webpage or by calling the department office at 724.738.2026.
