NSU will present Novapool, a dance project with students from Liverpool, England, on Nov. 21 at 10 a.m. in the Don Taft University Center Performance Theatre.
Dancers from NSU and John Moores University in Liverpool will dance simultaneously on a split screen, creating a virtual dance performance between the two universities.
Luke Kahlich, dance history adjunct professor in the Farquhar College of Arts and Sciences, has been the director for this dance project at NSU for the last three years.
He said that Novapool is a research project that tries to find ways to use telematics Internet technology to both teach and create choreography.
With open dance auditions this past September, Kahlich cast four NSU dancers to help bring his vision of virtual dancing alive.
“I usually look for dancers who are open; this is very much a collaborative process,” he said. “I want to see how committed they are to their movements, and also are they open to ideas when they choreographer comes up with new concepts. It’s really about teaching and learning.”
Senior dance major Sierra Parks said that her second -year experience in Novapool was challenging but also rewarding.
“It was hard because everything you do on the camera is opposite. If you lift up your right hand, it’s going to show left on the camera, so it’s difficult to adjust,” Parks said. “But, participating in Novapool, and getting to know the students all the way in Liverpool is a really cool experience.”
Senior business administration major Stephanie Ponce, who is a dance minor, agreed.
“I was really excited to do this because who gets to say that they danced with dancers overseas?” Ponce said.
Though this is the third year NSU will host Novapool, the production is significantly different this year.
“This time there will be dancers in Florida, dancers in Liverpool and the musicians will be in Edinburgh, Scotland, and we’ll be dancing to an original score that was created by a composer that teaches at a university in Edinburgh,” said Kahlich.
Sophomore Rebekah Ethelridge, marine biology major and dance minor, said, “Novapool is much different from other dance performances at NSU because it has technology in it and you’re working with people over 1,000 miles away.”
Hoping to challenge the audience, Kahlich will host a 20 to 25 minute discussion after the performance to gain perspective on how the audience interpreted the piece.
“I’m hoping the audience will recognize how many ways they can look at something, whether it’s a dance or a piece of art or a person,” he said. “Experiences really are layered, and technology allows us to layer it more.”
Ponce said different experiences, different vocabularies of dance, and different cultural exposure are all reasons to get involved with Novapool.
Parks agreed.
“I encourage everyone to try to do it; you get to use every style of dance you are familiar with and bring it all together,” she said.
Admission is free and open to NSU students, faculty, staff and members of the community. For more information, contact Kahlich at lk522@nova.edu.
Photo Credits: nsunews.nova.edu
