‘Celebrating 32 Years of Danson!’ performances set April 22-24

Danson, Idaho State University’s student dance club, will present “Celebrating 32 Years of Danson!” at 7:30 p.m. April 22-24, in the James E. and Beverly Rogers Black Box Theatre at the L.E. and Thelma E. Stephens Performing Arts Center.

Special guests performing will be The Dance Factory Company. Doors open at 7 p.m. and an "at the door" goodwill donation of $6 is being asked to cover the students’ expenses.

“Celebrating 32 Years of Danson!" will display various styles of dance ranging from modern to contemporary ballet to hip hop. These works have been put together by nine student choreographers and one faculty member as a guest choreographer, as well as choreography and performances from special guests The Dance Factory Company.

Danson was created in 1977 by Emeritus Professor Marcia Lloyd and six of her students.  Lloyd felt that dance classes at ISU were limited at best, and wanted to give students both more opportunities to choreograph as well as dance by bringing in guest choreographers. Danson had its very first performance in the fall of 1978 with 14 dancers.

The tradition continues each semester; students audition at the beginning of the semester for student choreographers and guests and then present their works in a final concert at the end of each semester. Today, the Department of Theatre and Dance offers more than 30 dance activity and dance technique classes, as well as dance education and composition classes, and Danson features more than 30 dancers performing in their concerts. 

Throughout the years, Danson has worked diligently to involve ISU students in dance. Along with the Department of Theatre and Dance, Danson has teamed up with other campus clubs, businesses and community groups to present student projects.

This concert’s sponsors include Associated Students of ISU, ISU Theatre and Dance, Alpha Psi Omega, United States Institute for Theatre Technology (USITT), The Dance Factory Company and The Dr. Arthur and Marcia Lloyd Foundation.

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About Idaho State University

Idaho State University, a Carnegie-classified doctoral research institution founded in 1901, educates approximately 15,000 students per year in more than 280 programs. It is Idaho’s lead institution in health professions and medical education. Its seven colleges engage in a broad range of innovative research, teaching, and learning in the natural and physical sciences, humanities, performing and visual arts, education, engineering, business, pharmacy, and technology. Visit ISU today at www.isu.edu.