Shakespeare in Motion

This year’s fall dance performance will add on a new twist and revolve around William Shakespeare.

“In the time I’ve been here we have never attempted anything like this,” director Rebecca Katz Harwood said.

Katz Harwood says that there will be eight or nine pieces in the show and there may be a few special surprises as well. The show will feature a variety of dance styles including ballet, contemporary and hip-hop, all inspired by Shakespeare.

“This year we wanted the dance concert to be centered around the fact that the William Shakespeare First Folio is going to be on exhibit in the Tweed museum for the month of October,” Theatre Department Head Mark Harvey said.

Katz Harwood sent out the notice for what the concert was going to be this year and asked students to come in with their own ideas. The dances can connect to Shakespeare in any way, whether it is through music, dance or elements of one of Shakespeare’s works.

“It’s very original because students and faculty across campus could make a proposal and send it to Rebecca,” Harvey said.

Audience members don’t necessarily have to be Shakespeare buffs to enjoy the connections throughout the concert.

“Sometimes for people, what can be a barrier for seeking out Shakespeare is that the language is so dense, where these are all using movement as the primary expressive vehicle,” Katz Harwood said.

Audience members who know Shakespeare will be able to figure out and discover all the references within the show.

Shakespeare In Motion will be in the Dudley Experimental Theatre Oct. 20-22 at 7:30 p.m. and Oct. 23 at 2:00 p.m..

“It will be an entertaining and cool evening,” Katz Harwood said.

Photos by Bret Groehler, UMD