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The student news site of Sacramento State University

The State Hornet

The student news site of Sacramento State University

The State Hornet

Student news without fear or favor

Senior choreographers close out 2016-17 productions with farewell dance concert

Senior+students+dance+during+a+rehearsal+before+their+May+4-13+performances+at+the+Senior+Dance+Show+to+close+out+the+2016-17+theater+production+at+Sacramento+State.+The+dance+show+will+be+held+at+Solano+Hall+1010.+%28Photo+by+Michael+Zhang%29
Senior students dance during a rehearsal before their May 4-13 performances at the Senior Dance Show to close out the 2016-17 theater production at Sacramento State. The dance show will be held at Solano Hall 1010. (Photo by Michael Zhang)

The Department of Theatre and Dance at Sacramento State will end its 2016-17 school year with a senior dance capstone project concert.

“Escaping Sentiments,” which will be performed in Solano Hall room 1010 from May 4-13, is broken into two programs each with seven senior students choreographing separate pieces.

Fifth-year senior William Freeland, who joined the program over two years ago, is one of the seven student choreographers for Program A.

Freeland said he is comfortable with his major since he had prior experience performing in his high school’s hip-hop team.

Senior students dance during a rehearsal before their May 4-13 performances at the Senior Dance Show to close out the 2016-17 theater production at Sacramento State. The dance show will be held at Solano Hall 1010. (Photo by Michael Zhang)

“My piece is morphed throughout the creative process (with) an energy of punk rock,” Freeland said. “(It’s) slightly political about privilege. Everyone in the piece is dressed how punk would personify itself on stage.”

The student choreographers said they started preparing for their presentation more than a month ago. For some, the performance will be their last time onstage at Sac State.

During the rehearsal process, program faculty can give advice but the students have full creative control to show what they have learned together.

Third-year senior Miguel Forbes, a student choreographer for Program B and one of the student directors assisting faculty, said his piece focuses on African American culture, paying tribute to the 25th anniversary of Sacramento/Black Art of Dance.

“I have watched a lot of concerts to be familiar with dance,” Forbes said. “We have to be content with what we put on stage.”

Geline Guevarra, a second-year student and a backstage crew member, said the show is special because it is choreographed by students rather than faculty members.

The programs will end with special guest performer Iu-Hui Chua, who has had many years of professional training in various dance genres.

A senior student dances during a rehearsal before her May 4-13 performances at the Senior Dance Show to close out the 2016-17 theater production at Sacramento State. The dance show will be held at Solano Hall 1010. (Photo by Michael Zhang)

“Her experiences have been in both in ballet modern and butoh, which started in Japan in the late 1950s — (a) time where Americanization was westernizing the culture in Japan post World War II,” Forbes said.

Program A will take the stage on opening night at 6:30 p.m. and Program B will follow the next night at 8 p.m. to show off skills that they’ve learned from through their time at Sac State.

The show will run from May 4-13 in Solano Hall 1010.

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