Dana Center Seeks Unique Acts for Growing Student Audience

As the Dana Center brings its programming to a close for the first semester, it is getting ready to launch into the second semester. According to the Director of the Dana Center, Bob Shea, the student turnout was quite good, "more than ever before". He is extremely excited that students are coming to the Dana Center to take in performances that allow them to expand their horizons.

Performances that don't exactly fit into pop culture, but are unique and fantastic in their own right. Because of the support of the students, the Dana Center "wants to do more for students in the coming semesters."

When the Christmas season comes and goes and it is time for students to return to campus, the Dana Center has an internationally recognized pianist, George Sebastian Lopez, along with a chamber ensemble, perform the classical works of Mendelssohn.

Mendelssohn is a composer from the same era as Beethoven and Mozart and although his name is not as mainstream, his works are of the same caliber as aforementioned composers.

Lopez is a Manchester resident who plays with many orchestras all over the world and is recognized as a world class pianist. He will be performing the most famous works of Mendelssohn from the romantic period. The day before the show there will be an information session at 3 p.m. held at the Dana Center where students can work directly with Lopez and find out more about Mendelssohn in order to have a greater appreciate for his work. The show will be on Friday, January 22nd at 7:00 p.m.

Later to come in the semester, the Dana Center is having an L.A. based dance company, the Lula Washington Dance Theatre, perform at the college.

"We have been trying to get these guys for over five years" stated Director Shea. The Lula Washington Dance Theatre is the leading African-American Dance Company in the United States. It is very similar to the Dance Theatre of Harlem; it takes inner city kids and turns them into amazing dancers.

It is a company that mentors young, inner city boys and girls and teaches them the intricacies of theatre dance. "These are some of the most dynamic and athletic dancers people will ever see," stated Shea "They are physically unbelievable".

The performance includes hip, new music that students will recognize. "This is a show that will definitely connect with the younger audience." The day before the show, there will be an open residency event at 3 p.m., where students can come on stage with the dancers and learn some of the tricks of the trade and garner an even greater appreciation for the dancers.

The Lula Washington Dance Theatre will be performing on February 19 at 8 p.m.

The Dana Center has big plans for student-artist interaction. Whenever the Center is planning on having an artist come in, they are arranging residency events the days before that allow the students to encounter the artist themselves, adding another spectrum to the artwork and seeing where it is derived.

The Dana Center is working to expand their plan of knowledge by bringing in unique, original talent. The Dana Center is very excited about the upcoming semester, and it is sure to live up to the hype.