The top ensembles from Brigham Young University's Department of Dance will perform a special assembly titled “The Gift of Dance,” Tuesday, Nov. 30, at 11:05 a.m. in the Marriott Center.
The assembly will not be broadcast.
The four dance troupes are the Ballroom Dance Company, Contemporary Dance Theatre, International Folk Dance Ensemble and Theatre Ballet, and each group will present a favorite piece from its repertoire.
Ed Austin, artistic director of the International and American Folk Dance Ensemble, is directing this year’s assembly.
“We sometimes don’t realize the talent that we have here on campus,” he said. “This is an opportunity to see all four of BYU’s world-renowned dance groups, all at once, in one showcase for the entire student body.”
BYU’s College of Fine Arts and Communications is the new home to the largest and most versatile dance department in the United States. For more than 40 years, BYU students have shared the light of the Gospel and the Spirit of the Y with people worldwide through the medium of dance. Their performances support members in bringing The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints out of obscurity in distant lands and throughout North America, said Austin.
The talented students also serve communities as they visit hospitals, rest homes and shelters — often contributing the funds from their performances to these charitable organizations. Their productions are viewed annually by millions in both live and television performances.
Visit cfacweb.byu.edu/departments/dance for more details about each dance group, or contact Ed Austin at (801) 422-3384 or edaustin@byu.edu for more details about this assembly.
Writer: Philip Volmar
