Being a successful performer requires total commitment. Especially for the dancers in the up coming “Spring into Dance” dance concert on the Robinson stage that are performing blindfolded.
This performance for full time senior dance major and student choreographer Alexis Evans is a culmination of her education. Evans has participated in four years’ worth of “Spring into Dance” shows. This year she has been selected to perform in faculty pieces and two guest choreographer pieces, as well as presenting her own choreography.
Evans’ dancers are performing blind. Evans has been working on this modern dance idea since January because she wanted to “push the limits.” Evans took her piece to be shown at the American College Dance Festival where she joined her cast and performed blindfolded for peers from college dance programs all through out the Northwest Region. The biggest challenge was performing on a stage that was shaped like a pentagon, which made it difficult for the dancers to determine where the edge was, especially while blindfolded. Regardless, Evans received positive feedback for her work from the panel of dance professionals who adjudicated the concert.
She started out as a performer as a freshman and then as a junior she submitted her own pieces to be judged and selected to be featured in Spring into Dance. As many as 15 pieces are submitted by students choreographers and roughly four are chosen, although the policy for selected student work is quality over quantity.
Since she was two, Evans has been studio dancer and she was also a member of her high school dance team. She picked Mesa State because of the dance department, which she feels is the “best in the state.” Since Evans has been here all four years she has been able to see the growth of the department and says guest choreographers comment on the beautiful “state of the art” studios. Also as a Denver native Mesa State was “far enough away from home yet close enough to go home when needed.”
After graduation Evans plans to return to Denver for the summer to do attend the Boulder Jazz Dance Festival and in August she plans to move to Los Angeles. Once there she is planning for auditioning for dance, theater, choreographer, musicals, and performing roles. After L.A. she’d like to go to New York, NY as an intern at Broadway Dance Center. Evans feels confident in her skills to be able to have so many options and credits her professors who have “turned me into a different person,” said Evans.
The changes are both as a dancer and as a human being. Evans feels that her professors have helped her evolve into being a responsible, goal oriented, leader with a strong work ethic and well-rounded person. Along with these skills her professors have “prepared her to go into the industry,” Evans said. They have taught her how to market her skills, audition, respect choreographers, and how to get jobs.
When people have ask Evans what her back up plan is. She replies, “I don’t have one, I plan on making it as a dancer or choreographer or other role in theater.”
The Spring Into Dance performance directed by Melonie Buchanan Murray is April 22 at 7:30 p.m. and April 23 at 2:00 and 7:30 p.m. at Moss Performing Arts Center Robinson Theatre. Tickets are $10 adults, $8 seniors, faculty and staff, and $6 students.