Lecture Demonstration / Workshops

UO-RDC presents free lecture demonstrations and movement workshops for middle and high school age students. Company performers present concert dance works while UO faculty provide points and helpful hints on how to view, understand, and appreciate dance as an art form. Students then participate in movement workshops taught by company performers and UO dance faculty which allow them to kinesthetically explore the movement as a vehicle for their individual artistic voice.

Master Classes

UO-RDC provides free master classes for dance students during residencies in rural and coastal Oregon. We strive to work in collaboration with respected dance instructors in communities to provide a different prospective of the role of dance and movement as a performing art. Students experience a modern technique class taught by UO dance faculty and company performers and have the opportunity to learn excerpts from repertory works that will be performed by the company in concert.

Performance

UO-RDC is committed to providing advanced dance students with good academic standing the opportunity to perform in a variety of venues in a touring situation comparable to a professional company. Students rehearse during Winter term to prepare a repertory concert dance performance that is presented in theatres throughout Oregon during Spring term. We present our evening of works at the Dougherty Dance Theatre on the UO campus at the Newport Performing Arts Center, at the Cottage Theatre in Cottage Grove, and this year at the Astoria High School Auditorium. These 200 – 2000 seat theatres give dancers a sense of life on the road as a professional career dancer.

The repertory offers an exciting challenge to dancers with its breadth and diversity. Works range from classical ballet to contemporary modern and demand high levels of performance and technical skills from the dancers. The company consists of 6 – 8 performers who work with choreographers from the UO dance department faculty and guest artists. This year’s guest artist, Barry McNabb, received his BS in Dance in 1981. He is a noted dance performer, choreographer, and director in New York working both on and off Broadway including work with such major figures as Bob Fosse, Agnes DeMille, and Juliet Prowse. He has appeared on Saturday Night Live, Late Nite with Conan O'Brien, and his productions have received numerous awards and nominations. His work with "Broadway Cares" has helped to raise over $20M for AIDS research and care facilities.