By Dan Nonte, University Relations
Duane Cyrus. (Photo by Werner Sandhaus)
The 16th annual North Carolina Dance Festival begins Oct. 19-21 with a different show at 8 p.m. each night in the UNCG Dance Theater.
Tickets – $15 for adults, $11 for students and seniors, and $7 for UNCG students – are available from the UNCG Box Office, (336) 334-4849 or http://boxoffice.uncg.edu/.
The Oct. 19 show will feature choreography by Triad area artists Heidi Echols Godfrey, Sean Sullivan, Wesley Williams Urban Dance Theater, Robin Gee and the Sidelong Dance Company.
On Oct. 20, works by John Gamble Dance Theater (Greensboro), Justin Tornow (Charlotte), Rodger Belman (Greenville), and Carol Finley (Raleigh) will be featured.
The Oct. 21 concert will showcase dances by Duane Cyrus (Greensboro), Amy Pierce (Wilmington), E.E. Balcos (Charlotte) and the Jan Van Dyke Dance Group (Greensboro).
Biographies of Touring Choreographers
A graduate of NC School of the Arts, Amy Smith Pierce danced in New York from 1992-2001, working with a variety of choreographers including Wil Swanson/Danceworks, Doug Varone and Bill Young. During that time, she taught modern, ballet and contact improvisation nationally and internationally. Since returning to her hometown in 2001, she has taught modern and ballet and choreographed for the Wilmington School of Ballet, and performed her work in local Dance Cooperative concerts.
Duane Cyrus, assistant professor at UNCG, has performed with the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Martha Graham Dance Company, The Lion King (original London cast), Carousel (U.S. Tour), and has done domestic and international touring with Cyrus Art Productions. He is the co-author and editor of the book “Vital Grace – The Black Male Dancer,” a photographic celebration of black men in dance.
E.E. Balcos, assistant professor at UNC Charlotte, has performed internationally with Shapiro & Smith Dance, Demetrius Klein Dance Company, and Zenon Dance Company and performed the work of more than 30 independent choreographers. He has received a choreography fellowship from the Minnesota State Arts Board and travel grants from the Jerome Foundation for work with the Bayanihan Philippine Dance Company.
Justin Tornow '01 (Photo by Dave Krehl)
Rodger Belman, assistant professor at East Carolina since 2004, holds an MFA from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. He moved to Greenville from New York, where he worked with Laura Dean Dancers and Musicians and others, including Twyla Tharp and Mark Taylor. He has taught and set his work throughout the U.S.
John Gamble is dancer, choreographer, designer, and the director of the John Gamble Dance Theater. A professor at UNCG, he teaches and performs contact and other improvisational forms. He is a recipient of a N.C. Arts Council Choreography Fellowship and co-founder of the N.C. Dance Festival.
Carol Kyles Finley, a native of Wilkesboro holds a Bachelor of Graphic Design from N.C. State and an MFA in Dance from Ohio State University. In 2001, she joined the dance faculty at Meredith College in Raleigh. Her choreography has been performed throughout the Eastern United States and her videodance works have been screened nationally and internationally. She lives in Raleigh with her husband, Vince Foote, and their daughter, Zoe.
Justin Tornow is a choreographer, dancer, teacher and executive artistic director of the arts collective project incite. A December 2001 graduate of UNCG, she has moved back to her hometown of Charlotte and now works full-time at Piedmont Dance Conservatory in Kannapolis. She is excited to be making her first contemporary ballet for performance in early 2007.
Professor and Chair of Dance at UNCG, Jan Van Dyke is best known for the more than 40 dances she has made for her company. She is the recipient of a Choreography Fellowship from the N.C. Arts Council and a 1993 Fulbright Scholar. A co-founder of the N.C. Dance Festival, she serves as its coordinator. In 2001 she was honored by the N.C. Dance Alliance with the Annual Award for Significant Contributions to Dance in North Carolina.
The eight companies included on the 2006 N.C. Dance Festival touring roster will be presented at six different locales across the state. Host institutions will also invite artists from their own areas to participate in the concerts locally. Unless otherwise noted, shows begin at 8 p.m.
Performance Dates and Locations
UNCG Dance Theater – Greensboro – call (336) 334-4849
Oct. 19: Robin Gee, Heidi Echols Godfrey, High Point Ballet, Sidelong Dance Co., Sean Sullivan (all from the Triad)
Oct. 20: John Gamble Dance Theater (Greensboro), Justin Tornow (Charlotte), Rodger Belman (Greenville), Carol Finley (Raleigh)
Oct. 21: Duane Cyrus (Greensboro), Amy Pierce (Wilmington), E.E. Balcos (Charlotte), Jan Van Dyke Dance Group (Greensboro)
Valborg Theater at Appalachian State University – Boone – call (828) 262-3063
Oct. 26: John Gamble Dance Theater (Greensboro), Jan Van Dyke Dance Group (Greensboro) and others
Oct. 27: Duane Cyrus (Greensboro), E.E. Balcos (Charlotte), Amy Pierce (Wilmington) and others
Oct. 28: Justin Tornow (Charlotte), Rodger Belman (Greenville), Carol Finley (Raleigh)
and others
Jones Auditorium at Meredith College – Raleigh – call (919) 760-2840
Jan. 26: Duane Cyrus (Greensboro), Amy Pierce (Wilmington), E.E. Balcos (Charlotte), Jan Van Dyke Dance Group (Greensboro)
Jan. 27: John Gamble Dance Theater (Greensboro), Justin Tornow (Charlotte), Rodger Belman (Greenville), Carol Finley (Raleigh)
Robinson Hall at UNC Charlotte – Charlotte – call (704) 338-1533 (produced by Martha Connerton/ Kinetic Works)
Feb. 15: John Gamble Dance Theater (Greensboro), Jan Van Dyke Dance Group (Greensboro) and others
Feb. 16: Justin Tornow (Charlotte), Rodger Belman (Greenville), Carol Finley (Raleigh) and others
Feb. 17: Duane Cyrus (Greensboro), E.E. Balcos (Charlotte), Amy Pierce (Wilmington) and others
Citystage Theater – Wilmington – call (910) 342-0272 (produced by the Dance Cooperative)
Feb. 23: Duane Cyrus (Greensboro), E.E. Balcos (Charlotte), Amy Pierce (Wilmington) and others
Feb. 24: Justin Tornow (Charlotte), Rodger Belman (Greenville), Carol Finley (Raleigh) and others
Feb. 25 at 3 p.m.: John Gamble Dance Theater (Greensboro), Jan Van Dyke Dance Group and others
Diana Wortham Theater – Asheville – call (828) 257-4530 (produced by Asheville Contemporary Dance Theatre)
March 2: John Gamble Dance Theater (Greensboro), Jan Van Dyke Dance Group (Greensboro), Rodger Belman (Greenville), Carol Finley (Raleigh) and others
March 3: Amy Pierce (Wilmington), E.E. Balcos (Charlotte), Duane Cyrus (Greensboro), Justin Tornow (Charlotte) and others
