For the first time in eight years, students from Hunter’s Dance Department performed and presented choreography and research at the American College Dance Association Northeast Regional Conference.
Fifteen Hunter students selected by faculty for their exceptional creativity, artistry, and talent attended the conference, which was held March 13 –16 at Rutgers University-New Brunswick in New Jersey.
“This conference marked a pivotal moment in the growth and artistic excellence of our department,” said Hunter Interim Dance Department Chair Anthony Browne. “It re-established our presence in the collegiate dance community and renewed our commitment to innovation and the cultivation of the next generation of dance artists and scholars.”
The department’s participation in the conference illustrates Hunter’s commitment to its role as anchor institution for the arts and culture in New York City, presenting high-impact work and serving as a training ground for young talent.
The cast of “Giving Me Wings” in costume.
The heart of the conference is a series of adjudicated concerts, in which each participating college submits one or two dance works for anonymous review by nationally recognized dance professionals. Out of 40 to 50 pieces performed, only 10 are selected for the prestigious Gala Concert, making it one of the highest honors of the conference.
This year, Hunter College was proudly represented by student choreographers Leilah Rosen and Vasialys Rodriguez, along with Professor Tiffany Merritt-Brown. Rosen’s piece, Ostranenie, and Merritt-Brown’s (in)flux, were featured in the adjudicated concert. In a remarkable achievement, (in)flux was selected for the Northeast Region’s Gala Concert — an honor reserved for the most outstanding works presented at the conference.
The adjudicators, Christopher Kaui Morgan, Kate Mattingly, and Angelica Monteiro, praised (in)flux for its ability to provide insight into a futuristic community, describing it as a brilliant work of choreography that asks the audience to witness the opening with patience while showcasing precision and chaos, containment and release. Further solidifying its excellence, (in)flux was also named as an alternate for the highly competitive National College Dance Festival, set to take place in Washington, D.C., from May 4 – 6.
Rodriguez also showcased her work, Giving Me Wings, in a special performance and contributed to the conference’s academic discourse by presenting her research, Exploring the Matrilineal Archive Through Dance, at a symposium.
Professor Merritt-Brown also taught a Contemporary Afro-Fusion class at the conference, boosting Hunter’s regional visibility. Participants enthusiastically engaged with the class, which explored the symbiotic relationship between Africanist aesthetics and contemporary dance.
The American College Dance Association is a national organization dedicated to advancing dance choreography, performance, and scholarship in higher education, providing a platform for institutions to showcase their work on a broader stage.
