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Show Page 8 Tfic 'I'fumderbinl Monday February 18, 1985 Wendy S. Turner, an SUSC student tvho is directing A Night of Eclectic Dance next week as part of the Works in Progress program, practices her form in front of a mirror in the dance studio. A senior in the theatre arts department with a dance emphasis, she began performing in public at age nine. A lifetime of dance pays off for Wendy S. Turner Turners experiences with the American Folk Ballet and elsewhere pay off as she now turns by Nani Li i Staheli At age three she began to learn what it meart to discipline herself in the art of motion and rhythm. Now Wendy S. Turner meets the challenges of helping others lend creativity to the art as she directs the Works in Progress dance program, which will feature student dancers in a program entitled An Evening of Eclectic Dance on Feb. 27 and 28. A senior theatre arts major with a dance emphasis, Turner has made dance the orb around which her life revolves. At age nine, she began to perform in the childrens dance theatre at the University of Utah and continued throughout her high school years. Later, she directed the program as a student staff member of the U of U dance department. 'Two years ago Turner performed with the American Folk Ballet, a program for which she is now working as costume mistress. She feels that these experiences have given her a holistic view of the performing arts, a quality necessary for success in her present position in the Works in Progiess program. Turner also recognizes that a experience in performing arts will also be essential to the realization of her future plans, which include auditions for dance companies in Los Angeles and New York. Eventually, however, she would like to teach dance at a college or university. d Turner explains that the WIP program was instituted at SUSC two years ago to give students the opportunity to submit and perform work in different aspects of the performing arts such as dance, music and theatre. The periodic peiformances are literally works in progress, such as a portion of a play. Each work is an informal showing, not a finished piece, says Turner. Until now the work has just been in the theatre, she continues. But the dance program will help Turner says her 18 dancers are willing to work creatively in their minds, and thats essential. students to see all aspects of performing arts. Turner further explains that she saw immediate benefits in such areas as student involvement, experience with performance and directing, as well as the opportunity to work creatively with different dance styles. I submitted to be director because I felt the need to do choreographic work. I wanted to let students work from a different side than just the classroom or a dance review Turner was selected by the theatre arts faculty and to directing WIP director Doug Baker. A second WIP program, this one featuring theatrical productions, is scheduled for March 1 and 2. The Resounding Tinkle and Buried Child will be performed then. Although the dance emphasis of the WIP program is under the supervision of Burch Mann, Turner explains that, as the student director, she is free to develop her own skills with creativity. Turner feels that the student response to the WIP program has been positive. Her dance program involves 18 students and, although most are theatre arts majors, some have come from other academic departments. The variety of personalities and dance styles are accomplishing some of the goals that Turner has in mind. They are willing to work creatively in their minds and thats essential, she adds. We dont have classes in composition and directing here so we have to learn that we are not only taking but giving. The WIP program also gives us a chance to know that directing is not easy. That is interesting to see at rehearsals. An Evening of Eclectic Dance will likewise feature the diversity of dance styles that the students have brought to each other, such as tap, jazz and ballet. It wall be a little taste of everything, says Turner. When you bring in your own style to this program, you. learn to allow for more styles from other students. |
