March 2022 College News

1 "States and Waves," a collaboration with projections by Erica Acuna and choreography by Brandon Gonzalez 2 High school students participating in a dance class taught by Misti Galvan and Torens Johnson in March 3 Te Texas State Division of Dance's production of Merge Reframed 8 | March | College News DANCE Dance Studies, Per formance & Choreography, Single Teaching Certif ication, & Dual Teaching Certif ications FACULTY ACCOLADES Ana Baer taught a virtual master class "Applying Composition Tools During Post-production in Screendance" for dance and arts majors from the Universidad Michoacana de San Nicolás De Hidalgo, Morelia, Michoacán. She recently premiered new choreography "Mandinga" during Merge Reframed ; a collaboration with Merge dancers. "La Sabina" by Ana Baer screened at Fisura International Festival of Experimental Film and Video and Experimental Film online Festival, México. Ana’s screendance "Imágenes de Realidad" was selected for screenings by RNAB virtual event, Sao Paulo, Brazil and Experimental Film online Festival, Nuevo León, México, additionally Te London International Monthly Film Festival, UK awarded "Imágenes de Realidad" an Honorable Mention. Ana’s screendance "Being Together" (a collaboration with Merge Dance Company, BodyShift and Richard D. Hall) was also selected by RNAB, Sao Paulo, Brazil. Ana Baer’s screendance, "Ixchel," was awarded Best Experimental Film in March by London International Monthly Film Festival, UK. Ana also directed and created the video for "Scenarios" performed during Merge Reframed. Brandon Gonzalez premiered a new choreography, "States and Waves," a collaboration with projections by Erica Acuna, for the Merge Dance Company’s concert, Merge Reframed . [1] LeAnne Smith was an invited guest presenter for the graduation ceremony held on February 26th for the Southwest University of Naprapathic Medicine in Santa Fe, New Mexico. LeAnne serves on the Board of Directors for the university as well as being a member of the SUNM Research Foundation. Torens Johnson re-staged "Circle of Spring" in the Merge Dance Company’s concert, Merge Reframed . He also accompanied 11 students to the American College Dance Association’s regional festival, and taught a master class in modern technique. Te choreography of student Ashley Kwasna was competitively selected for the gala concert at the festival. Christa Oliver coordinated three recruitment events in March. Eighty-fve high school students toured the dance department, participated in a jazz or modern dance class taught by Misti Galvan and Torens Johnson , [2] and watched Merge Dance Company perform. CIM TEYA, directed by Kaysie Seitz Brown, welcomed approximately 400 San Marcos CISD 2nd graders back to the Texas State campus for the return of their production STREAM in Motion 7.0 on February 28 and March 1. Te program included guest choreography by Assistant Professor of Dance, Torens Johnson , "Past, Present, Future," which was also performed in the Merge Dance Company’s presentation of Merge Reframed during their Saturday matinee and evening performance on February 26. Scott Vandenberg (Lecturer) designed lighting for Texas State Opera Teatre's production of Handel's Xerxes . FEBRUARY 24 – 26 Te Texas State Division of Dance opened their production of Merge Reframed in late February. [3] Te production was directed by Ana Baer and Christa Oliver . Merge Reframed was a collaboration with Brandon Gonzalez , Michelle Nance , Nicole Wesley and Joaquín López Chas . Te production featured scenic and lighting design by Cheri Prough DeVol , costume design by Monica Pasut and dramaturgist, Kevin Byrne . Te company was joined by the Texas State Chorale under the direction of Dr. Jonathan Babcock , as well as a special performance by fellow dance company CIM TEYA. Merge Dance Company is a faculty-directed student dance company that is committed to presenting interdisciplinary performances with an aesthetic that weaves social, political and communal dialogues with innovative approaches to artmaking for the university, and the community at large. MERGE REFRAMED College of Fine Arts and Communication | 9