Performances in the Modern Dance Department

There are many performances open to the public which showcase the performers and choreographers in the Department of Modern Dance. All of these performances are presented in the Marriott Center for Dance on the University of Utah campus. Please join us for an evening of dance in the near future. A complete listing of performances for this school year may be found here.

Performing Dance Company

Performing Dance Company (PDC) was founded in 1978 under the direction of Loabelle Clawson, Professor of Modern Dance. The Company was formed to give students professional level performing experience while pursuing their degrees at the University of Utah. PDC has frequently represented the Northwestern Region of the American College Dance Festival at that organization's National Festivals at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., and performed at the Los Angeles Bicentennial. In 1988 PDC represented the United States at three international dance festivals in Asia, performing in Hong Kong, Mainland China and Taiwan. In 1995, Performing Dance Company made a highly successful three-week tour of Australia.

Company members are selected by audition each semester from the Modern Dance Majors (undergraduate and graduate) at the University and perform in fully produced concerts which have a two week run each semester in the Hayes Christensen Theater in the Marriott Center for Dance. The repertory consists of new choreographic works by Modern Dance faculty members and distinguished guest artists. Currently under the co-direction of Pamela Geber and Brent Schneider, PDC continues to be recognized for its excellence as one of the leading student companies in North America.

In addition to new works by the faculty members in the Department, the Company has performed new works as well as works from the repertory of many distinguished artists including; Trisha Brown, Doug Varone, Molissa Fenley, Lar Lubovitch, Laura Dean, John Malashock, David Parsons, Doug Elkins, Sara Rudner, Tandy Beal, Della Davidson, Alwin Nikolais, Gabri Christa, Viola Farber, Hanya Holm, and Helen Tamiris, among others.

Several choreographers have asked our students to perform with them on concerts outside of the University setting including John Malashock, who invited students to perform with his company in San Diego, California and Molissa Fenley, who has twice invited students to perform with her in New York - including a performance for her New York City/Lincoln Center program in August 1999.

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Photos by Scott Peterson

University of Utah
Department of Modern Dance 330 S 1500 E, Salt Lake City, UT 84112 - Phone 801.581.7327
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