Taking the world by storm again, the Contemporary Dance Theatre (CDT) performing group wowed audiences at the Northwest Regional Dance Conference April 2014.
The annual conference, held this year in Missoula, Montana, chooses the best dance teams in the northwest to perform at the national competition. BYU’s Contemporary Dance Theatre was one of 10 performing groups chosen to perform at the Gala concert, and placed as first alternate for nationals.
“The students were fantastic the entire conference,” said Nathan Balser, artistic director. “I can’t express how many times people complimented the BYU program.”
“I was so proud of everyone,” said Sharlee Peay, CDT dancer and observer of the performance. “They performed well. It was fun to watch and to witness the light and spirit they exuded.”
The team performed “Heartlines,” a piece composed by guest choreographer Ihsan Rustem. It was also performed by CDT at the National Centre for the Performing Arts in Beijing in November.
Balser believes the recognition at the conference will help recruit talented students for the Department of Dance.
“I had a bunch of students from two-year colleges that asked me about BYU,” Balser said. “There was a group of students from Oregon or Washington State that said jokingly that they were converting to Mormonism so they can come to BYU.”
The recent success will also do much to augment BYU’s reputation in a highly concentrated area of dancers.
“The biggest thing is that it will help accredit BYU and their program,” said Peay of the performance. “The fact that we have accomplished this gives more validity to the work we do and how great the program is.”