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•MCDC News
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February 2012•
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Notes From The Directors
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Dear friends, Muhlenberg College's Dance Program is one of the best small liberal arts programs in the country. Our graduates pursue lives as professional artists, through dance performance, choreography, and education, and contribute creative leadership in other careers, including arts administration, physical therapy, and many more. One unique component of the Muhlenberg Dance Program is the opportunity for students to teach through MCDC. Our student teachers not only go through an application process, but are also required to enroll in the Department's Teaching Dance course and work with a college mentor throughout their teaching experience at MCDC. This method engages the student teachers in their learning process and leads to their success not only in the studio, but in the professional arena as well. In our Spring Performance this May, our student teachers will be assisting with the choreography as well as performing in the production. This season we are reintroducing our story-based theme for the performance, in which all the classes and dancers work together to make a story come to life for our audience. We will be spicing up a classic children's story that involves a wild rumpus! Can you guess what our story might be? Stay tuned next month to get the answer!
Sincerely,
Lisa Bottitta-Busfield
MCDC Educational Director
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Master Choreographers and MCDC Talkback
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A spectacular evening of ballet, contemporary dance, tap and jazz, Master Choreographers showcases exciting new dance works choreographed by nationally and internationally acclaimed guest artists and faculty.
The evening will feature original dance works, as well as a restaging of the acclaimed ballet Valse Fantaisie, by the great contemporary ballet composer George Balanchine.
Several MCDC teachers are among the dancers selected for this season's Master Choreographers concert. Watch for ballet teacher Sarah Biren, creative movement teacher Kelsey Hutchison, tap instructor Sioned Papparotto, and jazz instructor Jill Casella among the talented dancers on stage.
In the Empie Theatre, Baker Center for the Arts
Thursday, Feb. 9: 8 p.m.
Friday, Feb. 10: 8 p.m.
Saturday, Feb. 11: 2 & 8 p.m.
Tickets: MCDC students, just $7
Additional tickets: $15
Call 484-664-3333 or order online.
MCDC Day at Master Choreographers
MCDC students of all ages — and their parents: We encourage you to join us Saturday, Feb. 11, at 2 p.m. for MCDC Day at Master Choreographers. Receive a special concert-goers guide before the concert, and then join us for a Talkback Session with the MCDC faculty. Your dance teachers will tell you all about the experience of performing on the Muhlenberg Mainstage, and you can ask them all your questions!
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What should I do while my child's in class?
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We know: MCDC classes are too short to go home and get something done, but they're too long to sit in your car, doing nothing. Right? We can help.
Parents are always welcome to stay right by the studio in which their children's classes are taking place. But you're also welcome to relax in any of the College's many public areas! Here are some recommendations - and consult this handy map.
Seegers Union offers comfortable seating around a toasty fireplace in winter - as well as the Java Joe's coffee cart and the General's Quarters, where you can grab a snack. The side entrance to Seegers is just across the quad from Brown Dance Studio and just across Chew Street from the Trexler Pavilion studios. The Baker Center for the Arts (the white building adjacent to the Trexler Pavilion) offers both a lounge with vending machines and the Martin Art Gallery, featuring exhibitions of the work of major regional and international artists. (For 75 cents, the coffee's pretty good!)
In The Trexler Pavilion, there are handy seating areas both in the Box Office Lobby and in the glassed-in lobby just outside the Baker Theatre. (Berg students call this area "the Fish Bowl.") Just take the elevator down from the Upper Level Studio.
The Trexler Library is just down the block from the performing arts buildings. You're welcome to peruse the Library's collections and exhibitions, or just relax in one of the many terraced lounge areas.
You're welcome to use the campus WiFi network while you're waiting. Contact the MCDC office for login information.
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Meet the MCDC Family
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This month, we'd like to introduce Rowan Walker, one of our advanced MCDC students who will be turning 17 this month! Rowan attends Nazareth High School and has been dancing for 14 years. This semester, Rowan is taking advanced ballet and advanced jazz through MCDC. Her favorite dance genres are jazz and contemporary. Rowan's hobbies include art and being an assistant teacher in dance classes. Happy Birthday Rowan!
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Mark Your Calendars
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Feb 9-11, 2012 - Muhlenberg College's Master Choreographers (faculty and guest artist concert). Tickets available at 484-664-3333 or online. Come see your child's student teacher perform!
Feb. 11, 2012 - MCDC Day at Master Choreographers, 2 p.m.
Feb. 19, 2012 - MCDC Performance Company trip to New York City
March 4-11, 2012 - No Classes-Spring Break, enjoy!
April 6-7, 2012 - No Classes-Easter Break
April 19-22, 2012 - Muhlenberg College's Dance Emerge (student choreography concert). Tickets available at 484-664-3333 or online.
May 5, 2012 - Spring Session Classes End
May 9, 2012 - Performance Company Tech Rehearsal, time TBA
May 10, 2012 - Spring Show Dress Rehearsal, time TBA
May 11-12, 2012 - Spring Performance (Baker Theatre)
- Fri. May 11, 2012 - First performance, 7:00 p.m.
- Sat. May 12, 2012 - Second performance, 3:00 p.m., reception following the performance
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MCDC Performance Company Shows
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The Performance Company will be performing at the following events. Come support your fellow dancers!
Saturday, March 3, 7 p.m.
Parkland High School
Tickets are $5 at the door
Saturday, April 21, time tbd
Spring on Fourth, Southside Bethlehem
Third and New Streets, Bethlehem
Mayfair!
Details to follow
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Birthday Corner
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Happy birthday, MCDC dancers!
February:
4: Elise Kney
12: Emmeline Knowlan
17: Rowan Walker
March:
17: Keira Walther
20: Kaelan Damitz
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MCDC Performance Company NYC Trip
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Seats are still available! Please contact Tara at mcdc@muhlenberg.edu if you are interested in going to NYC on Feb. 19! All MCDC students in accelerated intermediate-level classes and above are welcome.
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Inclement Weather
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In case of inclement weather, please refer to WFMZ Channel 69 News or the WFMZ Website for MCDC class cancellations. We will also post class cancellations on the front of the Muhlenberg website.
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www.muhlenberg.edu/mcdc
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