It was a stroke of luck that brought members of Elon’s Dance Company to France for the Semaine de la Danse Festival. Nine dancers and two professors took this opportunity to get Elon’s name out internationally.
“It was the first time our dance company has gone to Europe to perform, so it was really a big deal,” said Karl Green, assistant professor of performing arts and costume designer for the dancers.
Green spent last summer in Paris and, through a connection he made there, received an invitation to bring Elon’s Dance Company to the dance festival in Aurillac, a town in the south of France.
The Semaine de la Danse, or Week of Dance, is a nationwide festival. Elon was the only non-French group that was invited to perform in Aurillac.
“Not only were we able to perform, but knowing that we were invited to show off our hard work internationally was very motivating,” said senior Katie Yahner.
First, the company went to Paris for three days. They went on a cultural tour of the area and visited museums that incorporated the history of dance, which was one of Yahner’s favorite things about France. Visiting the Louvre, the Pompidou and the Paris Opera was inspiring, Yahner said.
After a seven-hour train ride to Aurillac, the dancers performed twice for the festival. The theater was built in the 18th century and had been renovated. Although the town was small, the dancers performed for full houses both nights.
Lauren Kearns, associate professor of dance, taught classes and Green showed his costumes in a workshop to French students. Both of them were invited to return next year, although this is not yet set in stone. The dancers also took classes with other performers in the festival.
“Even though most of them did not speak English and we didn’t speak French, it was nice to interact with them in a way that didn’t require us to talk,” Yahner said.
The French experience was fully immersive for the dancers, right down to their lodging on the trip. According to Green, the Dance Company stayed in an 18th century farmhouse with other artists.
“France really supports the arts a lot more than the United States does, so they have housing so when they have guest artists, they have places for those artists to live,” Green said.
Kearns choreographed “End Game,” the piece showcased at the festival. The routine is contemporary, edgy and theatrical. Kearns also had a composer write original music for the piece.
Green said the dancers seemed to have a great time. It was not only something to add to their resumes, but they got the chance to perform in another country and all the experiences that come with it, he said.
The dancers will perform for the Elon community Tuesday, April 24 during the Student Undergraduate Research Forum.