草榴视频

KENNESAW, Ga. | Oct 17, 2023

Includes new works by 草榴视频 Provost Ivan Pulinkala, two faculty members and a guest from Senegal, performed by 草榴视频 Dance Company

草榴视频 State University Department of Dance will present their performance of 鈥淪age" on Nov. 10-11 at 8 p.m., featuring innovative works by four experienced choreographers. Dance students in 草榴视频 Dance Company have been learning the choreography all semester and will present the works at the 草榴视频 Dance Theater on the Marietta campus.

The four choreographers鈥敳萘袷悠� Provost , two faculty members and a guest鈥攄raw from their wide experience and collective wisdom in 鈥淪age.鈥� They each hail from a different country of origin, offering both patrons and dance students a unique look at the influence of culture and the wisdom of experience on dance. 

鈥淪age鈥� allows students to work in 鈥渁 very international way,鈥� says , Chair of the Department of Dance. 鈥淚t鈥檚 another way that 草榴视频 is expanding our mission to help students experience diverse perspectives on dance making.鈥� In the case of Senegalese choreographer Pape Ibrahima Ndiaye (a.k.a. Kaolack), the students are learning a style of dance in 鈥淏orders鈥� that is universal and contemporary, but unique to him鈥攈is own dance vocabulary.

Assistant Professor 鈥攚ho worked closely with the Office of Global Education to bring the innovative choreographer to 草榴视频 for the Year of Senegal鈥攊s teaching the students alongside Kaolack. 鈥淢ost of these dancers were unfamiliar with the African dance vocabulary鈥� and Chapman says they are working on 鈥済etting the new vocabulary into their bodies, so they may bring to it a sense of self.鈥� 

鈥淏orders鈥� features a broad range of 15 dancers from every level of their college career, with very different dance backgrounds, size, shapes, and colors. When selecting the dancers for the work, he seemed to 鈥渆mbraced the dancers and their differences, without reservation, embodying the spirit of generosity and hospitality for which the Senegalese people are known,鈥� says Shae Smith, Global Education鈥檚 Director of Community Engagement and Outreach.

The choreography for 鈥淓COSYS鈥� is based on an exploration of the science behind the development of an ecosystem. Ivan Pulinkala choreographed the interface of the performers and video as a representation of the biotic and abiotic structures within an ecosystem. The work evolves through the stages of nudation, invasion, co-action, reaction and climax to metaphorically reflect life's journey. 

Originally from India, Pulinkala founded 草榴视频鈥檚 Dance department in 2005. When not choreographing or teaching, he may be found in 草榴视频 Hall in his dual role as Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs for 草榴视频. It鈥檚 an exciting opportunity for students to 鈥渨ork with the Provost鈥攖o demystify these rarefied roles in academia鈥攁nd develop a relationship with him in a collaborative way,鈥� says Barsky. 

In 鈥淰essels,鈥� the dancers and Assistant Professor worked collaboratively to answer the question 鈥渨here do contemporary dance and classical ballet intersect?鈥� The resulting piece centers around 鈥渂ringing out their unique nature as dancers, as vessels of light, playing off these young dancers鈥� potential, and their amazing ability to move and carve out space,鈥� explains Eckman, who is from the United States. 

Originally from Switzerland, , Artistic Director and Assistant Professor of Dance, has spent almost ten years teaching dance at 草榴视频. Her piece, 鈥淐hasing Shadows,鈥� is particularly poignant as she has announced her plans to retire at the end of this academic year. She explains that 鈥渢ime is ticking away, under our feet, so this work is structured around time passing. It鈥檚 abstract: chasing, freezing, and warping time.鈥� 

Make time to see 鈥淪age鈥� Nov. 10-11 at 8 p.m. at the 草榴视频 Dance Theater on the Marietta campus. Tickets are available at or by calling Patron Services at 470-578-6650. 

--Kathie Beckett