LOCK HAVEN, Pa. - A rich variety of music, dance styles and themes made the Spring 2011 Lock Haven University Dance Concert a huge success. The performances on April 15 and 16 drew enthusiastic audiences from the campus and community.

Over 100 LHU students participated in the program.

The dance numbers, choreographed by students and Associate Professor of Dance Jayme Host, ranged from a waltz and a ballet to modern interpretive dances based on contemporary themes and issues. One themed number, “Contagion,” presented a perspective of the transmission of germs by direct and indirect contact. “School Time Show Down” presented the high school cliques people face and the unity of the group to put on a real showdown. The music from Schindler’s List accompanied the dancers as they expressed the hunger for life, hope and beauty in the midst of tragedy. Other numbers included a 1920’s Charleston; “Cell Block Tango” from the musical Chicago; and “Stomp It Out,” a multi-media presentation showcasing the rhythms of tap.

For the April 16 matinee, the LHU performers were joined onstage by students from Dickey Elementary School. Last year’s performance by the Dickey students was such a hit that this year, more students applied than could be accommodated. The participating students were selected on the basis of competitive essays. Stacie Burns from Dickey elementary facilitated the whole dance experience for the elementary school.

The Spring Dance Concert was under the direction of Professor Host, who joined the dancers onstage for the Contemporary Waltz. Host has performed professionally and has trained educators and administrators in incorporating dance into the everyday curriculums of elementary and middle schools. She received her B.A. with Honors and Distinction in Dance: Performance and Choreography, Dance History and Criticism from Goucher College. She then attended the University of Utah, where she earned her Master of Fine Arts degree in Modern Dance, Phi Kappa Phi.

The Lock Haven University dance program attracts students from all disciplines, many of whom have not had previous dance experience. Students may also choose to minor in dance. Professor Host explains that the LHU dance program “develops students physically, creatively, scholastically and professionally.”