Dancing Toward Change, Fall 2015

Audra and her students used dance, theatre and multimedia to explore the connections between standards of beauty, gender, objectification, and acts of violence in our culture. Students from Dance, Women’s Studies, Psychology, and Music collaborated to transform their research into a variety of original music, poems, short stories, spoken word pieces, video, and visuals bringing these issues to light. From this multiplicity of creative works the seminar crafted their principle production, Beauty, Objectification, and Violence: Dancing Toward Change, a dance, theatre, and digital art performance, providing a platform for the community to explore these societal issues. The class worked with the VBC-developed sexual assault protection program Elemental, learning self-defense techniques which inspired and influenced the choreography. Additionally the students hosted open discussions, debates, and presentations, and worked closely with their community sponsor, A Better Way. Beauty, Objectification, and Violence: Dancing Toward Change went on to full development as University Theatre’s 2016 Mainstage Subscription Series season finale.

View the BSU News Center article to learn more about the project.

	Audra Sokol, Associate Professor of Dance
L-R, Front Row: Lisa Schreck, Josie Meiss, Sterling Andler, Devin Hill; Second Row: Lucas Baughman, Lyle Oberman, Jaddyn Olivas; Third Row: Benjamin (Ben) Mossler, Mallorie Baker, Audra Sokol, Lillian (Lilly) Luttringer; Fourth Row: Adam Crawley, Erica Somerson, Jacquelyn (Jacq) Clark.