Written by Greta HylandDesigned to help perspective dance students learn more about SUU’s dance program, more than 100 high school students attended the Day of Dance two-day event featuring classes led by dance faculty, alumni, and current students. Southern Utah University hosted a series of workshops at the Department of Theatre Arts and Dance’s first Southern Utah Day of Dance aimed at helping high school dancers develop their skills. The free event was held in December with attendees coming from various areas throughout Utah.
SUU’s dance faculty worked with the students and challenged the fledgling performers. The classes were created for all levels of performers: beginner, intermediate and advanced and the workshops included ballet, modern, jazz, tap, ballroom, yoga, Pilates, improvisation/composition and musical theater. These sessions were led by SUU’s dance faculty including Kay Andersen, Megan Brunsvold, Patricia Meredith and Denise Purvis. In addition, the students worked with some of SUU’s outstanding dance alumni and current students as well.
According to Denise Purvis, Assistant Professor of Dance, “We had great fun dancing with middle and high school students from throughout Utah. I enjoyed getting to know these young artists and sharing with them all the wonderful learning opportunities SUU offers. Their dance teachers were also very happy to have the opportunity for large groups of their students to gain quality instruction to supplement their daily classes.”
The concept for Day of Dance was devised by former student Shannon Marshall, a dance education major. Marshall was the primary coordinator and contact person for the event which served as her capstone project. Reflecting on her enormous event, Marshall stated, “Southern Utah Day of Dance went better than expected.” Marshall went on to explain how she had prepared and that as a result, the even went smoothly. “This project was a great capstone project because it included many parts of my life and brought them together. I chose this as my capstone because I knew it would be the greatest thing I could leave behind for SUU,” said Marshall. “It is a way for potential students to meet the Department of Theatre Arts and Dance faculty, for current students to test their teaching skills, and for SUU to promote dance.”
Shannon Marshall recently received a Bachelor of Science degree in Dance and Health Education from Southern Utah University. She started her dance training at three years old with jazz and tap and later began ballet. Through Shannon’s years of dancing she realized that dancing is part of her life journey and it always will be. It is her dream to inspire the love of dance in students and to help them gain the tools they will need for their personal life’s journey as well.
