Life is full of challenges, and the biggest one of all is finding a way to balance everyday events. Wells College's fall dance concert “Balancing Acts” examines the different ways that people do that.

This year's dances explore this theme by examining physical balance, such as failing, falling, succeeding and getting up again, as well as psychological balance like going through abuse and having to find your life or yourself again, said Jeanne Goddard, artistic director of the concert.

“It's exciting that the theme for this year's concert was suggested and generated by the two students who are doing their thesis work, so their input was really invaluable,” Goddard said.

The students, Iivy Murphy and Tiffany Orellana, both members of the class of 2009, will be showing their thesis choreography at the performance.

The dance concert has been an annual event at Wells College for more than 20 years. It usually takes place in the spring. Goddard has been running this program since 1987.

This year, the college chose to host the show in the fall to offer Friends and Family Weekend visitors another activity.

“We decided to do it in conjunction to offer visitors variety and opportunity,” Goddard said.

One of the reasons this show is so successful is because it is part of the performing arts academic program at Wells College. Students get credit for performing as well as building sets.

“It's an integral part of the program,” Goddard said.

Goddard's favorite part about the concert is the tremendous contrast and range of choreographic styles, she said. The students' work, as well as her own, is more abstract and explores balance, weight and flow, while another professor's work includes an emotionally-charged performance about abuse and a waltz. Goddard also enjoys seeing the students overcome obstacles.

“It's always exciting to see our student dancers, the challenges that they have met to dance in such a variety of styles,” Goddard said. “They can't afford to be specialized in a specific area. They really have to expose themselves to a breadth of ideas.”

Goddard believes that the success of this program depends on the group's ability to work well together, she said.

“I think it's a collaboration between choreographers, dancers and designers,” she said. “We all have to come to a common vision together.”

Gitana Mirochnik

253-5311 ext. 237

gitana.mirochnik@lee.net