LOCAL

WT dance concert to offer range of styles

CHIP CHANDLER
West Texas A&M University dancers rehearse "Awaken Into Essence" for their spring concert, "Portraits of Dance," running April 24 to 26.

A broad range of dance will be explored by West Texas A&M University students at the school dance department's spring concert, "Portraits of Dance."

Performances will be at 7:30 p.m. Thursday and April 25 and 26 in the Branding Iron Theatre in the Sybil B. Harrington Fine Arts Complex.

"This is probably one of our strongest concerts ever, and I say that every year, and it's nice to be able to continue to say that," said Leslie Williams, associate professor and director of dance.

Williams and fellow teachers Edward Truitt and Crystal Bertrand will choreograph pieces, as will guest artists Rogelio Lopez, Mindy Copeland and Steven D. Norman.

The concert's centerpiece is Truitt's "Elegy for My Parents," a 30-minute contemporary work featuring WT dancers Jake Godek and Emma Green with Amarillo dance instructors Mark Lanham and Stephanie Parker Lanham.

"My parents didn't dance, but I'm trying to express the essence of their relationship in dance - who they were, their sense of humor," Truitt said. "I was ... close to both of them, but this has given me the opportunity to reflect on the beautiful life that they had."

Tickets are $11 for adults, $8 for seniors and students, and free for WT faculty, staff and students.

For information, call 806-651-2804.