Washington and Lee University
This year marks the 6th anniversary of our academic program in dance at W&L. In these few years we have created a dance minor, expanded our course offerings to include classes in dance history, composition, and kinesiology, created an aerial program, hosted over 40 master classes, brought in guest artists from national and international companies and offered our students opportunities to perform alongside professionals in the field. We have won prestigious awards for ‘outstanding creative works’ from American College Dance Festival and received national attention for our innovative work in aerial dance.
Our respected guest artist series brings dancers, choreographers and companies from around the world to Lexington. These artists come to the campus to set new works on our students, perform with them and teach master classes. In so doing, they gave the gifts of their education and artistic perspective. They inspire. This guest artist series is a wonderful complementary experience to our students' scholarly pursuits in dance. As a result, the they grow and mature into not just beautiful dancers, but into thinking dancers; dancers who know the history and philosophy of dance, have respect for the form and understand the very core of how and why we move.
Through the dance program, our students become well versed in critical analysis and learn to view the world from multiple perspectives. They become a community of leaders and form a fellowship of integrity grounded in the respect for life-long learning and creativity. Our graduates are expressive individuals who contribute to the world with a unique and individual voice grounded in compassion and forged in mutual respect.
Our dance program flourishes because the faculty and administration of W&L value dance and give tirelessly of themselves in the pursuit of a diverse artistic community within a liberal arts education.
The heart and soul of this program is our student dancers. They strive to know and to create. Their insatiable appetite for dance is dwarfed only by their passion and dedication to seeing it flourish at W&L. They are my partners in the formation of this program and a testament to its strength. It is my pleasure to share the beauty they create with the campus and community.
W&L Repertory Dance Company's most recent aerial work:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iandzxwxdPE&list=UUtOyeDEp7xdeNb75G79BHWg&index=4&feature=plcp
