The dance concert features 19 dances showcasing the work of the dance students in the 麻豆原创 Theatre Department.

Most years, faculty members choreograph some of the pieces, but this year, all of the choreographers are students or recent graduates of the dance program. The choreographers are selected through an application process, where they submit their ideas and needs to theatre faculty members. Considerations include dance style, number of dancers, how well the dance fits into the year鈥檚 theme, and the choreographer鈥檚 experience. This year all 19 choreographers that applied will be presenting in the concert.

The dancers are all students, as well. Dancers must audition and may be cast in up to three pieces. Junior Musical Theatre major Damian Barra has performed in all three years he has been at 麻豆原创. His freshman year, he danced to his own choreography; last year and this, he is participating as a dancer for other choreographers.

鈥淚t鈥檚 challenging molding your movement to fit someone else鈥檚 vision. With someone else鈥檚 choreography you have to try to see inside their mind. It鈥檚 good to see your own ideas come to life, but it鈥檚 also rewarding to help someone else and have their vision come to fruition,鈥� says Barra.

鈥淚 wanted to choreograph this year, but I didn鈥檛 want to overload myself with courses, classwork and The Pajama Game [Barra was the dance captain for the university鈥檚 fall musical]. Next year, it will be my senior year and I definitely want to choreograph something.鈥�

Barra is excited to be dancing in Polarized, by Amanda Castro. 鈥淚t鈥檚 not just leaps and turns, but about the movement. Amanda is telling a story through movement. This year, her piece is about magnetism鈥攖he pushes and pulls between people and relationships.鈥�

鈥淭here is so much variety, there is every year,听 but this year there are a lot of music selections and styles鈥攂allet, hip hop, contemporary; something for everyone to enjoy,鈥� said Barra.

The student choreographers generally have years of experience with dance and choreography. Many have been dancing since they were small children.

Recent graduate Cindy Heen is the choreographer of a piece entitled 3012. The futuristic dance consists of ten dancers and is a jazz style. She worked with costume designer Dan Jones to fully bring her vision to life by having lights installed in the dancers鈥� costumes.

鈥淒ance is something I eat, sleep, and breathe. Participating in 麻豆原创鈥檚 past three dance concerts has helped me prepare for life after graduation by giving me the tools for the professional world as a dancer, dance instructor and choreographer,鈥� said Heen.

鈥淲ith the dance concerts I have been given the opportunity to work in a professional environment with highly talented individuals. Every year I have participated in the dance concerts, I have grown tremendously as choreographer and dancer.鈥�

Performances begin at 8 p.m. Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, and at 2 p.m. Sunday.

To purchase tickets or for ticket information call the box office at 407-823-1500. Ticket prices are $17 for adults, $15 for seniors, and $10 for students, with group rates available. It is recommended to purchase tickets in advance, available through the Theatre 麻豆原创 box office. 麻豆原创 offers accommodations to make the theatre more accessible to patrons with disabilities鈥攆or assistance, please call the box office in advance.

Event at a glance:

Shove! Push! Dance Concert

Orlando Repertory Theatre

April 19-21 at 8 pm

April 22 at 2 pm

Price: Standard $17, Senior $15, Student $10; Group discounts available

Address: 1001 E. 听Princeton St.,听Orlando

Box Office Phone: (407) 823-1500

Box Office Hours: Tuesday through Friday:听 noon to 5 p.m. and 2 hours before performances

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Production and Design

Director鈥�..Earl D. Weaver

Head Lighting Designer鈥�..Charles Perry

Assistant Lighting Designer鈥�..Katy Sylvester*

Head Costume Designer鈥�..Daniel M. Jones

Sound Designer鈥�..Charles Perry

Sound Engineer鈥�..Phil Ingle

Technical Director鈥�..John Heil

Stage Manager鈥�..Seth Newman*

Assistant Stage Managers鈥�..Tiffany Meadows*, Kimberly Carolus*

Master Electrician鈥�..Matt Decker

Assistant Master Electrician鈥�..Heather Hubbard*

First Hand鈥�..Kelly Sirbola*

Draper鈥�..Madeline Marshall*

Light Board Operator鈥�..Gabriella Gutierrez*

Sound Board Operator鈥�..Allie Feller*

Wardrobe鈥�..Kasey Sollenberger*, Timothy Smolinski*, Amanda Stafford*, Alexandra Voelmle*, Alberto Erviti*

Run Crew鈥�..Alexis Mativi*, Christopher Metz*, Alyssa Feller*

Program

push. connect.; Choreographer: Rebecca Dilks*

3012; Choreographer: Cindy Heen

Covet; Choreographer: Courtney Eierman*

Broken Heart from the Start; Choreographer: Carine Gaito*

The Kingdom of the Shades, La Bayadere; Original choreography by Marius Petipa; Recreated by Jennifer Black*

Push the Dangerous; Choreographer: Tara Stanko*

Turbulence; Choreographer: Alex Mearman*

Indestructible; Choreographer: Jennifer Aubuchon*

Why Don鈥檛 You Love Me; Choreographer: Jamar Williamson*

January; Choreographer: Nicole Gonzalez*

Unleashed; Choreographer: Kaylee Randall*

Altered; Choreographer: David Paul Kidder*

Silence Before Sleep; Choreographer: Brittney Barnes

Sometimes It Hurts; Choreographer: Courtney Kirby*

Far from You; Choreographer: Jessica Sander*

A Little Ditty; Choreographer: Parker Slaybaugh*

The Disturbance of Thinking; Choreographers: Alex Mearman*/Nicole Gonzalez* (Tap Piece)

Battle for the Hatsheput, Choreographer: Gabriela Garcia*

Polarized; Choreographer: Amanda Castro*

*麻豆原创 Student

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Those roles traditionally are taken on by faculty members, but faculty said they wanted to reward outstanding seniors who have demonstrated exceptional skills.

鈥淭he designs for The Pajama Game are equal to those of any faculty designer I鈥檝e worked with in the past, and even professional designers and stage managers I鈥檝e worked with outside of 麻豆原创,鈥� said Associate Professor Earl Weaver, Theatre 麻豆原创鈥檚 production director and co-choreographer.

鈥淚t is a true testament to the training students have received from our faculty that they are ready to pursue careers in their chosen fields.鈥�

Cindy Heen, a dance minor, is serving as assistant choreographer for the dance-heavy production, which is about labor troubles at a pajama factory.

Heen fully choreographed four of the dance numbers and worked closely with Weaver to create an overall vision for the musical. She has worked on the production since May, and she drew inspiration from the 1957 film 鈥淭he Pajama Game鈥� and its recordings.

鈥淚 didn鈥檛 want to just copy the film鈥檚 choreography,鈥� Heen said. 鈥淚 wanted to be original, so I let the DVD inspire me. I listened to the music and created my own movements.鈥�

Students鈥� ideas were incorporated into the production from the start, said Kelly-Anne Salazar, a student in the Bachelor of Fine Arts Technical Theatre Design Program. Salazar designed the costumes for the musical, which she said has taught her about creative freedom and collaboration.

鈥淏eing a student involved with The Pajama Game was such a great learning experience,鈥� Salazar said. 鈥淓arl gave us just enough inspiration to get us interested and then let us come up with as many ideas as we could think of.鈥�

By encouraging creative license, Weaver gave students confidence and pushed for greatness, Heen said.

鈥淚 am so excited that I was given this opportunity as a student to be creative,鈥� she added. 鈥淲hen you get to do what you love, it鈥檚 the best feeling in the world.鈥�

Other students heading technical aspects of the production are Benson Knight, scenic design; Maytte Martinez, lighting design; and Shannon A. Jones, student stage manager.

The Pajama Game will be performed on the Main Stage of the Performing Arts Center, room 107 of the Theatre building.

Performances will begin at 8 p.m. Oct. 20-22 and Oct. 27-29. Sunday matinees will begin at 2 p.m. on Oct. 23 and Oct. 30.

Tickets prices are $19 for the general public, $17 for seniors and $12 for students with IDs. Tickets can be purchased by calling the Box Office at 407-823-1500 or by visiting .

Patrons also can get a closer glimpse at the behind-the-scenes work by viewing design renderings of costumes and a model of the set, which will be displayed in the Performing Arts lobby throughout the production鈥檚 run.