Danceworks: Polysemy production to feature largest group of senior choreographers

NACOGDOCHES, Texas — Stephen F. Austin State University’s dance program will showcase its largest group of senior choreographers during its production of Danceworks: Polysemy, which premieres at 7 p.m. April 19 in the HPE Complex Dance Studio, Room 201, on the university campus.

True to its theme “Polysemy,” which means the coexistence of many possible meanings for a word or phrase, the Danceworks production will feature a variety of dance styles and topics.

Haley Hoss Jameson, associate professor and co-coordinator of the dance program, said “there is a little bit of something for everyone” in this semester’s production.

Danceworks serves as the capstone course for dance seniors. Each of the 13 senior choreographers created a piece based on research topics ranging from domestic violence, espionage and dementia to confidence, social anxiety and more. For example, senior Christine Nafula Wabuge Agali choreographed an African dowry dance of the Luhya tribe that pays homage to her parents while demonstrating the modernization of a traditional dance.

“I wanted to do this topic because it is based off of what my parents had to do to get married. It is part of my culture,” she said.

Contemporary modern, Broadway, jazz, African tribal dance, Egyptian-themed dance and more will be featured in this production.

For the first time in several years, the dancers also collaborated with students in SFA’s School of Music to provide live music during specific pieces. Heather Samuelson, assistant professor and co-coordinator of the dance program, said this joint effort was a bonus learning experience for the students.

“These collaborations have created professional relationships and inventiveness between the students and have added more variety to the Danceworks concert,” Samuelson said.

The performance is appropriate for all audiences. Additional showings are scheduled for 7 p.m. April 20 and 3 p.m. April 21. Tickets cost $5 for students, $8 for faculty, staff and senior citizens, and $10 for general admission and can be purchased at the door.