DANCE MATTERS: Expanding Horizons

 April 26, 27, 28, 2019
2019 OhioDance Festival and Conference
Dance Matters: Expanding Horizons
Guest artist, Marlana Doyle, Artistic Director of the Houston METdance Company
Co-Hosted by The Ohio State University Department of Dance
Sullivant Hall 315
1813 North High Street
Columbus OH 43210

On April 26-28, 2019, OhioDance, the state-wide dance network organization, will hold its annual festival co-sponsored by Ohio State University, Department of Dance, Columbus. There are classes, workshops, discussions and performances over the three days. Events will take place at the OSU Dept. of Dance Studios and Barnett Theatre, Sullivant Hall, 1813 North High St. Columbus OH 43210.

Dance Matters:  The theme of the conference is “Expanding Horizons“.  The theme will focus on New Horizons, Expanding Opportunities in dance.

Debut of OhioDance Documentary Film Ohio: A State of Dance

Marlana Doyle, was the Artistic Director of the Houston METdance Company. She graduated from Point Park University in 2001 with a BA in Dance. Marlana has been dancing with METdance for the past sixteen years and was a major part of the company’s reorganization in 2003. Under her direction, Marlana’s artistic vision has taken the company to new levels of excellence and growth while holding tightly to the company’s long tradition of diversity and versatility in its dancers, choreographers, collaborators, and content. Through her commitment and drive, the company has performed at venues across the country including Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival Inside/Out (2012, 2014, 2017), Green Box Arts Festival, Destiny Rising
at the Joyce Theater in NYC, Dance Chicago, Boston Contemporary Dance Festival, Dance St. Louis, the 17th Annual Choreography Festival in Palm Springs, CA, Dallas Dance Festival and Austin Dance Festival. Marlana is a regular faculty member at the METdance Center and directs the highly successful MET too youth company, an intense
program focused on preparing young dancers for dance programs at universities and a career in dance performance. Marlana is also a guest teacher and an award winning choreographer for her students throughout the US. Marlana will travel with two company dancers; Andres de Blust-Mommaerts and Risa D’Souza.

Andres De Blust-Mommaerts, born in Bogota, began studying ballet at age five, and at age twelve entered the Royal Ballet School of Antwerp. He was selected for the Ecole-Atelier Rudra Béjart in Lausanne and danced with Béjart Ballet. He then joined Richard Alston Dance Company London. Later, he danced with Donlon Dance Company at Saarländisches Staatstheater and with Theater Trier. As a performer with METdance, Andres has performed at the Jacob’s Pillow Festival and Green Box Arts Festival. Andres also enjoys choreographing and costume production/design. This is his third season with METdance.

Risa D’Souza is from Houston, where she began her training in the MET too Youth Company. During this time, she had the opportunity to dance in Tidal Intersections by Katarzyna Skarpetowska with METdance in 2010. She graduated from Point Park University in December of 2013 with a BFA in Dance. She also was awarded a scholarship to the 2013 Parsons Dance Summer Intensive. After college, she danced with a Pittsburgh project-based company, Reed Dance. This is her fifth season with METdance.

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