The Joan B. Kroc Theatre was packed on the blustery evening of May 7. Everyone was eager and ready for a night of unforgettable dance put on by alumni of the Grossmont College Department of Dance.
Choreographers, dancers, and musicians who have all graduated from the college were ready to show what they could do. But first, Department Chair Kathy Meyer came onto the stage.
The Joan B. Kroc Theatre was packed on the blustery evening of May 7. Everyone was eager and ready for a night of unforgettable dance put on by alumni of the Grossmont College Department of Dance.
Choreographers, dancers, and musicians who have all graduated from the college were ready to show what they could do. But first, Department Chair Kathy Meyer came onto the stage.
“I’m going to get very emotional,” admitted Meyer, who started teaching at the college in 1989. “This is our first-ever alumni dance concert.”
As the years went by, Meyer explained, the department alumni had always kept in touch. And then, two years ago there was a gathering of former students, who were now dance professionals ranging from choreographers and musicians to dancers, and Pilates instructors.
“That was when we all decided to put on a dance concert. So tonight, we have dancers from 1992 to 2001, and they come from San Diego, Los Angeles, San Francisco, all over.
“I am so proud of them all, and I know you will enjoy this evening’s program,” she said.
The curtain opened with the first dance, an avant-garde piece called “Another Yonder,” with one of the dancers tangled in string along with a piano. Two other dancers soon entered onto the stage and seemed to be oblivious of the tangled-in-string dancer. It was a provocative work, calling up many questions.
A light-hearted piece, “From Here to Eternity” choreographed by alumnus Christopher Enders had everyone giggling over the love dance between a young man and woman near a statue. The dance showed later stages of their lives, including their being wed, having a little girl and later becoming old. The statue, played by Kamryn Johanns, had her own role in the dance, imitating through gestures with her arms the various stages of life through which the couple in love move.
Many of the other works were beautiful performances, both in the dance and the accompanying music. “Falling Light” was an ecstatic presentation by dancers Aiden DeYoung and Rachel Furst. The music, composed by alumnus student Michael Mora, was exquisite.
“Intervention,” a heart-rending beautiful work with dancers, Viviana Alacazar-Haynes, alumni students Shannon Snyder and David Wornovitzky, and choreographed by alumna Anjanette Maraya-Ramey, tugged at the emotions.
“There were some beautiful lines in the movements by the dancers tonight,” said Cathy Roth, who enjoyed watching every detail of the concert.
The concert surely inspired every dancer at heart to explore classes offered at Grossmont College Dance Department. The department offers courses in dance technique, performance, body modalities and dance appreciation. These courses are designed for dance and liberal arts students as well as for others seeking personal enrichment.
An A.A. degree in Dance may be obtained as well as a certificate. Students earning the degree are eligible to transfer to a university to continue their dance education; many of Grossmont College’s dance classes are directly transferrable to the University of California and California State University systems, as well as private universities.
In addition, master classes are offered to Grossmont College students and the community at large. Such class offerings have included everything from ballet to jazz, ballroom to modern, ethnic and yoga.
The next dance performance is scheduled for November 19, 20 and 21, 20154. “Breaking Boundaries” is an annual concert, completely choreographed by dance students.
Contact Department Chair Kathy Meyer at Kathy.Meyer@gcccd.edu for more information about dance classes and the department.
