Dancing to the finish line

Thirty-seven dancers, seven impassioned pieces, four years in the making.

Thursday night sees the opening of the first leg of the VCU Senior Project Dance Concerts at the Grace Street Theater. Entitled “The Dance Show,” the fall installment will feature the works of seven talented choreographers interpreted by their carefully-cast classmates.

The seven works are the culmination of four years of intense study in the dance and choreography major, a carefully developed track that senior dance project producer and dance faculty Lea Marshall said covers all the bases for the emerging artists.

“The seeds for it begin to grow freshman year when they begin learning improvisation. They have courses that link dance and music together. Then they study composition sophomore year and choreography in their junior year,” Marshall said. “Junior year is when they have to start thinking about what their senior project will be and write a proposal outlining their idea and how they expect to go about it.”

In addition to the content of the production, the seniors have helped to manage much more, from marketing and fundraising to lighting and costume design.

“These seniors have taken on so much in terms of just the production of the show itself,” Marshall said.

Senior choreographer Aaron Burr Johnson will present “A Vanishing Point,” a piece inspired by geometric patterns, Greek mythology and personal rituals set upon dancers in a strict environment. Johnson, who is also co-marketing director for the concert, said the marketing aspect is familiar territory for all dance majors by this point, though this event carries slightly more weight.

“We were all given fliers and posters and postcards to distribute. Every (dance) major has had experience in marketing in that way,” Johnson said. “There was a little more responsibility on our back this time considering that this is our work.”

The whole idea of the added responsibility is to prepare the students for a real world that will not provide shelter under an educational institution. The dancers even sought donations and sent out thank-you letters.

“Each choreographer was responsible for going out and doing ad sales for the whole program for the concert,” program director Christian Von Dutch said.

“The Dance Show” promises to feature a wide-range of music and movement that will invoke conflict, sadness, joy, intimacy and wonder. Seldom is there a Senior Dance Project Concert that is nothing short of stunning. Be it the Latin-influenced music and movement of Kevin Jones’ “All of the Above,” Amanda Gay’s seductive quintet “Trusting Time,” or Erin Dalton’s enigmatic “::::”, the evening will likely be an assurance that the future of modern dance is in good hands.

“The Dance Show” Fall 2008 VCU Senior Dance Project Concert runs Thursday through Saturday at 8p.m. at the Grace Street Theater. Tickets are $5-$10 and may be purchased by calling the Grace Street Theater Box Office.