The University of Florida (UF) School of Theatre + Dance invites patrons to experience a unique evening of different dance styles in Dance 2016: Worlds Apart directed and devised by Trent D. Williams, Jr. and Nita Little. Performance times are 7:30 p.m. February 12-13 and February 16-20, and at 2 p.m. February 14 and February 21 in the Black Box Theatre at the Nadine M. McGuire Theatre and Dance Pavilion on UF’s campus.
This annual faculty dance concert will feature the work of two faculty members: Visiting Assistant Professor Nita Little and Assistant Professor Trent D. Williams, Jr. The production will be presented in two parts with a 10-minute intermission. The two choreographers explore different forms of expression, with Williams exploring the effects of salt on the human body, while Little’s self-described “whimsical” piece is heavily rooted in improvisation and multimedia.
Williams and Little began choreographing their pieces during the fall of 2015 with a focus on finding the proper movement and mood to express their work. Prior to starting movement rehearsals, Williams researched and compiled different stories of people who have hypertension, high blood pressure and cholesterol. “What I am interested in is how salt looks on the body, how it reflects off of the body and what salt does when it is grinded and how it looks in different dimensions,” says Williams. The piece is entitled father. salt. sound. movement.
Little has been working nonstop since the fall on her piece, which will include 10 dancers in a stage world described by the artist as something that doesn’t fit in a “photographic reality.” Titled Between Tick and Tock, Little described the piece stating, “Creativity and imagination does not exist in clock time. We as people have to get in between the tick and the tock and find those things for ourselves.” She went on to further describe her piece as not solely dance, but more dance theatre where you will see the cast be both serious and silly.
Patrons can expect to be entertained and provoked. Williams and Little say they hope that the audience looks at these themes and ideas and can relate to them in their own lives.
Tickets for the UF production are $18 for the general public, $15 for UF faculty/staff and seniors, and $13 for students. Season and group prices are also available. Tickets are available through the University Box Office located at Gate 1 of the Stephen C. O'Connell Center, by calling 352-392-1653 or at ticketmaster.com. The University Box Office is open Tuesdays through Fridays 12-5:30 p.m. and Saturdays 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. Tickets can also be purchased at the Constans Theatre Box Office starting 45 minutes prior to the performance.
The Nadine McGuire Theatre and Dance Pavilion is located at 687 McCarty Drive, Gainesville, FL 32611. On-campus parking is available at the Reitz Union garage and the Museum Road parking lot. Guests are strongly encouraged to pick up tickets early, as shows run the risk of being sold out.
About the School of Theatre + Dance
The School of Theatre + Dance is one of the University of Florida College of the Arts’ institutionally-accredited schools. Undergraduate students can pursue a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in acting, dance, musical theatre, theatre production—including costume design, lighting design and scenic design—or a Bachelor of Arts degree in dance studies or general theatre. Minors are also offered in dance and theatre as well as certificates in arts in medicine and dance in healthcare. Student organizations, showcase programs and other intensives provide students with invaluable professional experiences. UF is home to three School of Theatre + Dance performance venues, including the Constans Theatre, Black Box Theatre and G-6 Studio. To learn more about the School of Theatre + Dance, including upcoming performance dates and ticket information, visit www.arts.ufl.edu/theatreanddance.
About the College of the Arts
The College of the Arts is one of the 16 colleges and more than 150 research centers and institutes at the University of Florida in Gainesville, Florida. The College of the Arts offers baccalaureate, master’s and Ph.D. degree programs in its three institutionally-accredited schools — the School of Art + Art History, School of Music and School of Theatre + Dance. The college is home to the Center for Arts in Medicine, Center for Arts and Public Policy, Center for World Arts, Digital Worlds Institute, University Galleries and the New World School of the Arts in Miami. More than 100 faculty members and approximately than 1,200 students work together daily to engage, inspire and create. The college hosts more than 300 performances, exhibitions and events each year. Faculty and students also exhibit and perform at other local, national and international venues. To learn more, visit www.arts.ufl.edu.
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Media Contact
Leah Spellman, APR, Public Relations and Marketing Manager
University of Florida College of the Arts
Office: 352.273.1489 | Cell: 904.419.3346
lspellman@arts.ufl.edu
