PAGE 14 //WEDNESDAY, APRIL 29,
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ColTaborating
crert)vity
'Live Here'
Parker Brown
Reporter
Eight months ago, assistant
professor of dance and
coordinator of the dance program,
Lauren Kearns, approached
communications coordinator
of video projects, J. McMerty,
and technical director for the
department of performing arts.
Bill Webb, about collaborating on
a new version of a piece Kearns
had previously choreographed
and performed with her
professional dance company.
Both professors were excited
about the opportunity, and
the result has been a multi-
departmental partnership that
has combined talent and resources
to produce a multimedia, live
dance piece called “1 Live Here.”
This multi-sensory experience
will serve as the third and final
act of the upcoming performing
arts department’s show, “Vibe.”
“‘I Live Here' is a hybrid form of
performance that utilizes athletic
modern dance, text, voice, live music,
set design, visual images and video
to engage the audience in a multi-
sensory dialogue about the meaning
of home and place,” Kearns said.
“This is the largest multimedia
piece I’ve done in terms of the
number of media elements that will
be combined with the live dance.^
Kearns’ vision for this version of “1
Live Here” has been made a reality by
anElon Fund for Excellence in the Arts
and Sciences grant, which she co-wrote
with McMerty and Webb in fall 2008.
The $5,000 grant enabled the
creation of the elaborate set,
costume designs and video. With
these funds, Kearns, McMerty and
Webb were able to realize their
joint creative dreams for the piece.
“One of our goals when writing
the grant was to forge a new era
of interdisciplinary collaboration
between our departments and schools
that enhances the experiential
learning of our students,” Kearns
said. “(Collaborating with everyone)
has been absolutely amazing.”
The dance component began in
the fall by casting a small ensemble
that had to learn the dance quickly
so the multimedia components
could be developed around it.
“I Live Here” is based largely on
the idea of the journey of a woman at
different stages in her life, as well as
findingthemeaningofhomeandplace.
Developing and reflecting on
their respective characters has
been key for the dancers and
this hybrid project has provided
(right to left) Senior Allie Locha^, senior Zibby
McBride, sophomore Kara Griffin and junior
Caittyn Juengel will perform in “I Live Here,” a
multidepartment collaboration that combines
dance and multimedia.
many unique challenges for ti,
■|have„ev„be,„a*p.„S'.t
Where the movement is the sim w
part, said senior Allie locharvT
performs a solo in the piece "B«7
being consumed with the tnultim*
component at all times, ‘l Live He *
is the most mentally chalkngin,
piece I have been involved with
the layers of my character rundem«
are further developed by th
addition of poetry, live cellist,
the set, costumes and video
The video elements will have a
live component, as well as previous],
shot footage, which will enhancethi ■
audience’s understanding of thepiect
McMerty has enlisted the help
of his freshmen communication
fellows section of digital medii
convergence, as well as a few upper-
class communications students,
to bring “I Live Here" to lift'
Students were divided into
crews that are producing segments,
running the live perfomanct
producing a documentary on the
making of the piece and also i
strategic team to promote the event
through various media outlets,
Sophomore ensemble dancer i
Kara Griffin has a unique
perspective on the collaboration,
“I'm a communications major as
well as a dance major, so it has been
rewarding for me to have these tuo
aspects of my life at Elon combineiB
such an amazing project,” she saii
To learn more about “I Live Here,'
visit: www.elondance.wordpress.coni.
“I Live Here” will be performed
at "Vibe” at 7:30 p.m. May 7-9 in
McCrary Theatre,
Tickets, on sale now, are free wrth
Elon ID or $12 for the general public.
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