A musical May plays out on Chapman stages

It’s that time of year when the College of Performing Arts is busy staging a rich offering of performances and productions. Piano, big band, new music, choral – there’s something for everyone this week. One of the biggest events is Spring Dance Concert, which showcases Chapman’s talented student choreographers and dancers.

Audiences will be treated to a diverse concert, says Nancy Dickson-Lewis, assistant professor in the department of dance.

Among the works are pieces exploring the motion of underwater sea life, The Rhyme of the Ancient Mariner, a ballet spoof and even the story of Jack the Ripper.

“It’s definitely eclectic,” says Dickson-Lewis, concert director.

A variety of dance styles will also flavor the concert, she says, explaining that the old term of modern dance has given way to what the dance world generally refers to as contemporary dance, a fusion of styles that melds traditional, new, jazz, street, world and cultural dance traditions.

“Our students are very smart. They are very aware. They know what’s happening in the dance world and they challenge themselves,” she says.

Performances will be at 8 p.m., Wednesday, May 12, through Saturday, May 15, with an additional May 15 performance at 2 p.m.  Tickets are $15 general admission, $10 for senior citizens and students.

For more information about this event, or the many other performing arts events staged by the hard-working artists of COPA, visit their web site
here
.