SF's Annual "Elements of Style" Featuring Master Artists Davis Robertson and the New York Dance Project March 22 and 23 at Fine Arts Hall

February 27, 2019

February 27, 2019 – Master Artists-in-Residence Davis Robertson and the New York Dance Project (NYDP) will collaborate with Dance Theatre of Santa Fe, the college's pre-professional student ensemble, in a two-act performance of the annual "Elements of Style" program at 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, March 22-23, 2019, in the Santa Fe College Fine Arts Hall. There will also be a one-act matinee performance at 2 p.m. Friday, March 22, in the Fine Arts Hall.

Tickets are $15 for adults; $9 for seniors, children and University of Florida students; and free for SF students, faculty and staff with valid college identification cards. For ticket information, call the Box Office at 352-395-4181 or visit the Fine Arts ticket website at sfcollege.edu/finearts/buy-tickets/index.

"Davis Robertson, the co-founder and artistic director of the New York Dance Project, will be here with his dancers for two weeks prior to these performances," explained Alora Haynes, who chairs the Fine Arts and Entertainment Technology department at SF. "During that time, our students will take classes and rehearse with the NYDP dancers. That's exciting for our students because they get to blend into a professional environment."

Haynes described the New York Dance Project as a ballet company that loves contemporary choreography.

"What I love about NYDP is that it's a young company and the dancers remember what it's like to be students," Haynes continued. "They're happy to share information and class space with members of DTSF. It's a great exchange between two different groups of young people and helps our dancers realize that it's possible to become professionals at this stage in their lives."

As indicated by the program's name, "Elements of Style" offers dances in a variety of styles that can range from ballet to hip-hop influenced modern dance to modern duets with partnering to musical theater pieces.

In addition to choosing the student company's part of the program, Dance Theatre of Santa Fe co-directors Melissa Brenner and Sarah Harkness-Sebastian will perform a duet, "Only in Private," that was choreographed by Elizabeth Johnson of the University of Florida. The piece includes a poem, "At 24" by West Virginia Poet Laureate Irene McKinney.

Other selections to be performed by the Dance Theatre of Santa Fe include:

• "Rich Man's Frug," a musical theater number from "Sweet Charity," choreography by Harkness-Sebastian with some original choreography by Bob Fosse.
• "Chatterboxed," a modern dance mixed with character performance and gestural work that will be performed by DTSF at the American College Dance Association Southeast Region 2019 Informal Concert at Kennesaw State University, Georgia, in March; choreography by Harkness-Sebastian with music by J.S. Bach.
• "Iron-Horse Ocean," a modern dance with a steampunk vibe choreographed by Guest artist Tim Glenn from Florida State University, music by Philip Glass and Michael Price, costumes by Chris Takashima.
• "enclosed," a contemporary modern duet choreographed by two Santa Fe College students, Jasmine Lopez and Mariah Preedin that will be performed at the American College Dance Association Southeast Region 2019 Adjudication Concert at Kennesaw State University, Georgia, in March.
• "The Muro Room," a contemporary modern dance choreographed by Melissa Brenner.
• "Board Meeting," a contemporary hip-hop dance choreographed by Santa Fe College Dance professor Herman Ramos.

For more information about Davis Robertson and the New York Dance Project, see newyorkdanceproject.org or call Alora Haynes at 352-395-5296.

For more information about Dance Theatre of Santa Fe, call Sarah Harkness-Sebastian at 352-395-5674 or Melissa Brenner at 352-395-4188.

For more information about tickets, call the SF Fine Arts Hall box office at 352-395-4181.