Queensborough’s Dance Students Rocked the Northeast Regional Conference of the American College Dance Association
Recently, Queensborough’s student dancers performed at the Northeast Regional Conference of the American College Dance Association (ACDA) at the College at Brockport in Brockport, N.Y. There, QCC students performed dances created by students and a guest artist, took numerous classes and attended performances by students from 20 colleges from our region and beyond.
Christine Cano, Crysta Diaz-Martinez, Victoria Edwards, Joel Feliciano, Helen Maldonado and Elizabeth Vielot performed Line Up, a dance choreographed for them by esteemed guest artist, Jennifer Archibald, in one of the conference adjudicated concerts. Archibald’s works blend hip hop and contemporary dance. This piece was selected for performance at the Conference Gala.
NEWS FLASH!
The esteemed adjudicators at ACDA selected Line Up, choreographed by guest artist Jennifer Archibald, to be sent to the selection panel at Jacob's Pillow for consideration in a concert on Jacob's Pillow's Inside/Out stage. Jacob's Pillow is a highly regarded and historical venue for dance in Massachusetts. Adjudicators from every region in the country select work from the gala concert to be considered for Jacob's Pillow. Jacob's Pillow will make the final selections in the next few weeks.
“The Gala consisted of a handful of works selected at the end of the Conference by the adjudicators, a team of three renowned dance artists and teachers who gave feedback to each of the approximately 40 dances they saw in the 5 days. They also selected 10 dances from that pool for the Gala performance at the end of the conference. Since 2014, when our students began attending the Conference, we have had five of our pieces in the Gala, which is a distinct honor,” said Aviva Geismar, Assistant Professor, Health, Physical Education and Dance. Professor Geismar was accompanied to the Conference by fellow mentors and dance professors, Nicole McClam and Emily Berry.
Queensborough’s students were a strong presence and demonstrated over and over again the superlative training and opportunities for creative expression offered in Queensborough’s dance program.
Elizabeth Vielot performed her original solo, Resisting the Resolution in an adjudicated concert, and Crysta Diaz-Martinez and Mikayla Perez created an original duet, C*nsored, which they performed in an informal concert.
Also attending the conference were outstanding student dancers Julissa Adames, Dominique Carryl-St. Louis and Marvin Jeudy.
Queensborough’s alumni were also in attendance.
Keziah Watters, Class of 2018, is a dance student at the College at Brockport.
She remembers that, “Queensborough was a joy. I received lots of individual attention from my professors who genuinely cared about my progress and goals.” At the Conference, Keziah assisted on and off stage, taking classes in hip hop, Afro- Caribbean, Salsa and even a handstand class. Keziah also ran the lighting board. Her background with CUNY began at York College where she was studying English and Social Work however her interest in dance led her to research CUNY schools for dance programs. “Studying dance in a school environment was a new experience for me, but at Queensborough I felt free to be myself because the entire department is a judgment free zone.”
Keziah, from Queens, is majoring in dance and psychology at Brockport and plans to graduate in 2020. Her dream career is to specialize in movement therapy for disabled children and adults.
Queensborough alum Joshua Gonzalez is currently studying at Rutgers University, Mason Gross School of the Arts. “As a student at Queensborough, I had the opportunity to explore modern dance and add new skills, so that I could find my own ‘movement voice’. Performing is much more than showing ‘technique’. It allows sensitive topics in the world to be heard louder and clearly, and the potential to inform change.”
Heather Gardner, Class of 2017, transferred to Hofstra University. “To a great extent Queensborough prepared me for a career in the dance world. Professors Berry and Geismar instilled confidence in me which improved my choreography and dance skills in and out of the classroom. This year, when I returned to ACDA with Hofstra, I was excited to see my former professors and their students. Watching them perform reminded me again how important it is to be trust in yourself and in your peers.”
Learn more about Queensborough's Dance Associate in Science degree program.
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