FSU School of Dance to perform in ACDF's National Festival at the Kennedy Center
Florida State University was well represented by the School of Dance at this year’s southeastern conference of the American College Dance Festival. Both works submitted for adjudication, There After, choreographed by Mary Schindler, and Hearts of Sheep, choreographed by Harper Addison, were selected for inclusion in the conference’s gala performance. Both Schindler and Addison are second year MFA candidates. Unlike most schools, Florida State has long held a policy of submitting only student work for adjudication. Co-Chairperson Russell Sandifer stated “The School of Dance faculty feel that it is more important, as well as fair, to provide the students with this opportunity for feedback on their work, than that of well established, professional faculty and guest choreographers.” Undergraduate student Thryn Saxon also presented work during the informal concert, and faculty and graduate students offered classes covering a variety of topics.
To top off the trip, Addison’s Hearts of Sheep was one of three works selected to go on to the national festival, held at the Terrace Theater of the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., over Memorial Day weekend. Hearts of Sheep is one of eleven student works that will be presented. So important is this experience to the students that Addison will be flying back from the FSU summer program in Paris to participate.
In addition, Co-Chairperson for the School of Dance Russell Sandifer will be serving as the Festival’s Production Manager, and graduating MFA student Rachel Hunter will be assisting.
Tickets to all three festival programs are now on sale at the Kennedy Center Box Office. Hearts of Sheep will be presented in the Sunday program, with performances at 2:00 and 7:30 pm. For more information please visit acdfa.org or contact Russell Sandifer at rsandifer@fsu.edu.