As I get ready to jump into another semester tomorrow, I’m also reflecting on the exciting opportunities it will bring to share the joy, poignancy and connection that dance can create. For starters, I will be teaching a lecture course called ‘Dance and Popular Culture.’ It’s a 1000-level course that counts for the undergrad humanities requirement, so while it attracts people with interest and knowledge in dance, there are also always a lot of people for whom this is a first experience with the subject. I am looking forward to guiding their investigations of how dance affects and is affected by popular culture in our country. Given that academia tends to overlook popular or ‘low art’ in favor of forms deemed as ‘high art,’ this class is a very exciting opportunity to look at popular culture through a critical lens, as it deserves to be looked at too.
I am also getting excited for a trip with CU faculty member Gesel Mason. Me and another grad student have the pleasure of performing with her in her solo show No Boundaries, as well as to teach technique and lecture classes at SUNY Potsdam and Albany in upstate New York. I’m looking forward to getting a glimpse into two different programs, as well as sharing knowledge with new students.
This spring also brings a trip to the University of Montana in Missoula for American College Dance Festival. I will be performing in the work of faculty member Donna Mejia. Donna is a specialist in Transnational Fusion dance, a very interesting hybrid of American style belly dance, hip hop styles and various other rhythm-driven techniques. I’m excited to share this technique with the dancers at the conference, and to see what they have to share as well.
Will you be sharing or experiencing dance this spring? Comment!
Erinn Liebhard: Dance Artist 