November & December 2015 College News

DANCE Faculty Accolades Assistant Professor Kaysie Seitz Brown hosted a successful residency with the award–winning multimedia dance company, ARCOS Dance, funded by the University Lecturer Series. ARCOS taught several master classes, gave two lectures on the use of technology and dance, and choreographed a work on Merge Dance Company. They had an informal showing at the end of their residency and the dance work created for Merge will debut in March 2016. Ana Baer Carrillo presented 15 one-minute video dances during the event 60×60 at the Rudder Theatre, College Station, TX. Ana also presented a video collage for the COCO Dance Festival in Port of Spain, Trinidad. This video performance was a collaboration with Nicole Wesley and Michelle Nance . Shay Ishii and Kaysie Seitz Brown of the Shay Ishii Dance Company presented excerpts of Dancestry to 1500 Round Rock ISD high school and middle school dance students on November 11th. Texas State University faculty, alumni and students performed the historic works of modern dance pioneers Loie Fuller, Isadora Duncan and Erick Hawkins and engaged with the Round Rock students in a post performance discussion about history, dance careers, training and inspirations. Twenty-five young essay contest winners were selected to participate in a repertory master class after the concert. Michelle Nance , Ana Baer Carrillo (video design) and Nicole Wesley performed the dance work, Only Stars are Perfect , at the 2015 COCO Dance Festival held at Queen’s Hall in Port of Spain, Trinidad. This was the 7th Annual Dance Festival directed by the Contemporary Choreographers’ Collective (COCO); Nicole Wesley is one of the artistic directors who produce the COCO festival. Artistic Director LeAnne Smith and Lighting Designer/Production Supervisor Scott Vandenberg Texas Stare Dancers of modern dance pioneers Loie Fuller, Isadora Duncan and Erick Hawkins Dancestry to 1500 Round Rock ISD high school and middle school dance students on November 11th. Alumni Accolades Dance Alumnus, Desiree Kostelink is touring with RWS and Associates (talent agency out of New York). She has been performing on cruise ships around the world since September 2015. Sarah Sanchez , a Texas State alum and currently finishing her MFA at Sam Houston State University, was chosen to be a part of an experimental, Merce Cunningham–derived Improvisation score at the 7th Annual Texas Dance Improvisation Festival’s culminating Performance. Alum Anna Antoniewicz performed excerpts of Dancestry to 1500 Round Rock ISD high school and middle school dance students on November 11th. Dancestry along with thirteen Texas State Dance Majors presented Choreographers’ Showcase November 12th and 13th. Also featured was CIMTEYA directed by Kaysie Seitz Brown . Dance faculty Pat Stone attended the Texas Dance Improvisation Festival held at Texas Woman’s University in Denton, Texas. In addition to attending, Pat chaperoned ten Texas State dance majors. Nicole Wesley hosted a residency with Texas Tech Musicologist, Dr. Chris Smith, as part of an ongoing transdisciplinary collaboration. Five musicians from Texas Tech worked with five dancers from Texas State embarking on a full- length work to be presented in the spring. Texas State students will visit Texas Tech in January 2016 to continue artistic collaboration. Student Accolades Dance students Amber Cantu , Laura Tijerina , Tiffany Walter and Anne Wharton participated in the Texas Tech/Texas State residency. The Texas State and Tech students built a 14–minute work entitled “Tentette” and had an informal showing on Saturday, November 7th. Shuan Davis , Rose Troche , Laurel Krenek , Kristal Tan , Kolbey Gonzales , Jillian Mason , Cait Nixon , Arlin Busano , Alexis Lee and Anne Wharton all attended the 2015 Texas Dance Improv Festival held at Texas Woman’s University in Denton, Texas this past October. Texas State Dance Majors Alexandra Hayes , Nicole Pina , Michelle Gundersen , Jasmine Hamilton , Brianne Williams , Laura Tijerina , Jaqueline Olivares , Melanie Benavides , Taryn Gregory , Laura Rohloff , Macy Lopez , Jonahira Cordero and Kolbey Gonzales presented their original choreographies at the 2015 Choreographers’ Showcase held at Jowers Studio Theatre. Lynson Alexander , Andy Ayala , Amber Cantu , Amanda Flinn , Jasmine Hamilton , Callie Hardman , Kindra Idunoba , Natasha Martinez , Sarah Nastoupil , Jacqueline Olivares , Cori Snyder and Anne Wharton presented excerpts