FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (4/06)
Contact: Ginger Folmer, Professor of Dance, 318-869-5077; or Lynn Stewart or Kelsey Johnson, Centenary News Service, 318-869-5120 or 318-841-7265

See also Dancers' Feature in The (Shreveport) Times

Centenary Dancers Selected for Kennedy Center Performance

Mayor Declares Sunday, April 23 as 'Centenary College Kennedy Center Dancers Day' in Shreveport

SHREVEPORT, LA — Shreveport Mayor Keith Hightower has declared Sunday, April 23 "Centenary College Kennedy Center Dancers Day" in the City of Shreveport.

The mayor's proclamation honors the dancers and faculty choreographer whose "Swept Under" performance has been selected for college dance's highest honor: performance at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C.

The mayor urged the Centenary community and all citizens "to recognize this national accomplishment of the Centenary College of Louisiana Dance Program and to support the efforts of students and faculty as they present a local performance benefiting their trip to the Kennedy Center."

April 23 is the date for the benefit, which will give locals a preview of the Washington, D.C., performance during the "Swept Off Our Feet to the Kennedy Center" benefit performance. The benefit will be held at 2:30 p.m. in Centenary's Marjorie Lyons Playhouse and will be followed by a fundraiser reception catered by Columbia Cafe. Tickets are $5 per person for the benefit, which also includes presentations of student choreography, and $5 per person for the reception, which will be held in the lobby of the Marjorie Lyons Playhouse. Tickets are available at the MLP Box Office by calling 318-869-5242.

Proceeds will help with expenses when the dancers, their professor/choreographer Renée Smith-Cheveallier and others from the program travel to Washington for the American College Dance Festival’s National Conference May 16-19.

"All citizens of the state and area should celebrate this monumental achievement by Centenary students and their faculty choreographer," Mayor Hightower said.

"This is the most prestigious honor that college/university dance programs can receive," said Ginger D. Folmer, professor and coordinator of the dance program at Centenary.

The National College Dance Conference showcases dance performances selected by the adjudicators from each of the regional conferences. Selections are based on their outstanding artistic excellence and merit. The primary objective of the National Conference is to highlight, on the national level, the outstanding quality of choreography and performance that is being created on college and university campuses.

“Swept Under” was choreographed by Smith-Cheveallier, who also designed and constructed the costumes. The performers are Centenary students and members of Centenary's Escaped Images Dance Company: Amanda Adams of Richardson, Texas; Nic Gadpaille of Shreveport, La.; Anna Maris of Little Rock, Ark.; Andrew Nieman of Natchitoches, La.; Renée Nolen of Many, La.; and Courtney Rhodes of Vidor, Texas. Jessica Gorbaty of Houma, La., will also attend as understudy. Angela Jones Rosenkrans, adjunct dance faculty member, collaborated with the choreographer on the lighting design.

"This multimedia, layered composition embodies the unspoken emotions of a family impoverished by the Dust Bowl – yet the images produced are timeless," Smith-Cheveallier said. "This piece is performed in the modern dance/theatre style with a score of Woody Guthrie’s 'Do Re Me' recorded by the contemporary artist Ani DiFranco. In addition, this piece is also accompanied by a spoken narrative of Woody Guthrie’s '…Till We Outnumber ‘Em' and a video projection of home movies by Alabama artist Pinky MM Bass."

Anyone who wishes to support the dancers—who will be representing Centenary College, the city of Shreveport, and the state of Louisiana at the National College Dance Conference—may send a tax-deductible contribution (made payable to Centenary College Dance Festival Fund) to:
Ginger D. Folmer
Professor and Coordinator of the Dance Program
Centenary College of Louisiana
P.O. Box 41188
Shreveport, LA 71134-1188

- 30 -