2016 College Report

National Recognition Te dance division is the only U.S. university program that provides comprehensive training in the principles of modern dance pioneer Erick Hawkins. Faculty work closely with the Erick Hawkins Foundation to help preserve and re-mount his choreography. Faculty have choreographed or performed in Athens, Paris, Toulouse, Barcelona, Edinburgh, San Jose, Mexico City, Guatemala, Giessen (Germany), Chicago, Portland, Minneapolis, Denver, Boulder, Las Vegas, Salt Lake City, Los Angeles, Chile, Trinidad/Tobago, and New York. Te dance division has been ranked by Dance-Colleges.com as the #21 school in the country and has the #10 bachelor’s degree program. Te dance division graduates more dance students than any other university in the state; it is annually in the top 10 in the country in the number of undergraduates earning degrees. Te dance division hosts 3-4 national and international guest choreographers each year to work with students and create new, innovative choreography. Students Students have been invited to perform at the DUMBO international dance festival in New York as well as dance concerts in Denver, Los Angeles, Germany, and Guatemala. Tey have earned honors at the state and regional levels from the American College Dance Festival. Many students receive internships and scholarships to national and international dance training centers for summer study. During the school year students have several opportunities to perform in our many ensembles. Te Texas State student dance company, Orchesis, produces one large annual dance concert and participates in many community and university service projects. Tis company is an on-campus dance ensemble composed completely of Texas State students of all majors and disciplines. Highly Acclaimed Ensembles Merge Dance Company is a touring ensemble that performs regionally, nationally, and occasionally internationally. Tey perform the work of faculty and guest artists of the Dance Division. Entrance into Merge is granted by an audition or invitation process held in the late Spring of each year. Choreographers’ Showcase is a bi-annual concert choreographed by students enrolled in “Advanced Choreography.” Te students in this course select dancers for their work. BFA concerts: Students in the “Performance & Choreography” degree plan are required to produce a shared concert in their senior year (usually 4 choreographers share the concert). Tey select their own dancers, and are in charge of all aspects of the concert. Opening Door Dance Teatre: Tis concert features the choreography of faculty, alumni, and prestigious guest artists. Te company is by invitation only. CIM TEYA (Creation in Motion Touring Ensemble for Young Audiences) creates interactive dance performances for children, touring locally and throughout Texas. Using dance, performances demonstrate basic curricular themes such as science, literature, and math. Entrance into CIM TEYA is by invitation. Transient Dance Collective is an inclusive/non-audition organization whose focus is on improvisational dance arts. TDC performs site specifc work throughout San Marcos and the surrounding central Texas area. Successful Alumni Car i sa Arms t rong | Associate Professor at Texas A&M University, Dance Program, College Station, TX Che r i e Car son | Artistic Director of UpSwing Aerial Dance & Company in Berkeley, CA Ma t thew Cumb i e | Associate Artistic Director and Company Member of Dance Exchange in Washington D.C. Amanda For sy th | Entertainment at Walt Disney World in Orlando, FL Br i t t any Lopez | Instructor at Northwest Vista College, San Antonio, TX Mo l l i e Haven Mi l l e r | Interim Director at Dance Source Houston Ash l ea Pa l a fox | Expressive Therapist at Chicago Lakeshore Hospital Lac reac i a Ma l one Sande r s | Associate Professor at Tarrant County College Northwest in Fort Worth, TX Ca thy Stone We rne r | Artistic Director at Mountain Air Dance in Bozeman, MT Amber Cantu Students of FAC Spotlight Dance Student | Senior “I specifcally came to Texas State for the dance program. I think it’s taught me a lot about myself not just as a dancer, but as a human in general. I’ve learned that my body and my emotions relate in ways that most people wouldn’t think they relate. Tis program has opened my eyes to new ideas that I don’t think I would have gotten anywhere else. Te teachers here care about your soul more than anything.” College Report 2016 | 25