One month ago Ball State University senior Erik Wentz sat in an Iowa theater watching six dancers perform his original choreography at an American College Dance Festival Association regional conference. He was simultaneously preparing mentally to dance in the second part of the show.
This week Wentz, a dance major, will have a similar experience when his piece "Relationships (Untitled)" is performed in Festival of Dance at University Theatre, along with several other dances he is performing in as a member of Ball State Dance Theatre. Ball State's Festival of Dance runs Wednesday through Saturday with shows starting at 7:30 p.m.
Wentz is one of two student choreographers whose work is featured in Festival of Dance. Betsy New, another senior dance major and company member, has a contemporary piece called "Capriccio" - Italian for "whim" - in the production.
Five faculty-choreographed dances will be performed, along with another piece created by guest choreographer David Wick, which Wentz performed in at the Iowa dance festival. New said the dances in this week's festival portray a diverse look at the dance world.
Lou Ann Young, Ball State Dance Theatre's artistic director, said the dances that are part of this year's festival share a common theme: history. The dances span from a modern piece about predators and prey in prehistoric times to excerpts from the ballet "The Tempest," based off of Shakespeare's work, to another modern piece about the influence of famous American women. There is also a Hungarian Folk dance in the show.
"Every piece is just outstanding," Young said.
Sarah Mangelsdorf, director of dance, said Festival of Dance creates a venue for people to watch concert dance - an entertaining and fun form of art which differs from the popular styles of dance often seen on TV.
"It's entertaining, but it's also thought provoking," she said.
She thinks audience members will be impressed by the choreography skills of both the students and faculty members who helped created pieces for Festival of Dance.
"It is the culmination of the semester and partly the year's work of our students and it's an opportunity for people to see on stage what that time commitment produces," Mangelsdorf said.
Both Wentz and New created their dances for the Senior Choreography Showcase in the fall, and have been able to tinue to rehearse their dances. Neither student choreographer dances in his or her piece.
"It's like looking at something you imagined that you didn't think would ever be real," Wentz said, adding that he drew upon his personal experiences to create "Relationships (Untitled)."
Wentz's dance centers on the relationships of three different couples, including headstrong and stubborn lovers whose personalities clash, a partner who can't stand-up for herself and a couple whose attraction turned to convenience due to their long relationship.
New hopes people appreciate the creative movement aspects of her dance, which is about doing something on a whim, with or without regret.
Both student choreographers think people don't always realize the work that goes into studying dance. Sometimes they take dance classes and rehearse from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. juggling academic obligations with physical exhaustion, they said.
"It makes it easier because we love what were doing, but it's definitely a lot harder than I think people know," Wentz said.
He enjoys sharing his choreography with other people, and hopes that they remember his dance and can connect something from it to their own lives.
"I think that everyone when they do something like this ... I think that they just hope that people respect their work," he said.
Tickets for Festival of Dance may be purchased at the University Theatre box office. Ticket prices are $6 for students, $11 for BSU faculty and staff, $12 for the general public and $9 for senior citizens.
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