Eastern Theatre Student Troi Branham of New Haven Choreographs Dance for "Dance Here!"

2016 May 13

Several talented dance students in Eastern Connecticut State University's theatre program choreographed and performed original dances for "Dance Here!" The 2015-16 academic year-end showcase featured the vision of eight student choreographers, performed by their dance and theatre classmates.

Troi Branham '18 of New Haven, who majors in Business Administration, was among the student choreographers showcased. Branham's performance was titled "Black Lives."

"This piece is meant to show the struggle of Black lives from the time of slavery to the present," said Branham. "While times have changed and progress has been made, American and international people of color still reside in a bifurcated society when it comes to issues of social justice. In my opinion, to avoid backsliding toward slavery driven times, Black lives must be valued as equal to the lives of others."

Branham has a minor in Costume and Fashion Design. From a very young age she has been dancing with hip hop influence from her father and African influence from her aunt. As a freshman, she danced and choreographed with Eastern's Fusion Dance Crew, and in fall 2015 took her first modern dance class and loved it. With her classmates, she put together a piece about police brutality, an issue very close to her heart, and she continues to raise awareness through dance, poetry and other art forms.

The choreographers' pieces were brought to life by the participation of their dancer-classmates, and were accompanied by music - in some cases, by Eastern faculty and student musicians. Students and faculty also assisted the choreographers with behind the scenes tasks, such as costume work, lighting and sound design.

"Dance Here!" was the Performing Arts Department's first spring semester dance showcase, as well as the introduction of the theatre major's new concentration Dance and Global Performance.

The event highlighted the work of emerging student choreographers developed in the course Dance Composition (DNC 445). "I think you will agree that the students have succeeded not only in creating meaningful work, but also in learning how to collaborate and transmute process into product," said Theatre Professor Alycia Bright-Holland.

"As an art form of unparalleled immediacy and visceral quality, dance has a unique ability to heal, to celebrate, to expand and elevate our collective worldview, to address pressing issues of social justice, and to both imagine possibilities and re-pattern actualities," said Bright-Holland. "Such appraisals speak to an art form that is both ancient and contemporary, which unifies diverse genres and styles, and which brings together performers from many different majors to enthusiastically explore a common medium."

"Dance Here!" occurred in proscenium theatre of the new Fine Arts Instructional Center (FAIC).