DanceMakers takes Margo Jones stage Apr. 10-12

April 7, 2025 - DENTON - TWU's Division of Dance will showcase nine works in its semiannual concert DanceMakers, Apr. 10-12 at the Margo Jones Performance Hall.

"There's some sophisticated statements being made," professor of dance Sarah Gamblin said. "We have some dances that want to get you out of your seat. Really physical and athletic, like landing in the splits and all that kind of thing. There's some really crowd-pleasing works in this program. We have a nice mix of students who like to ask questions about what is the dance as a medium doing, and also students who just want to use it as a vehicle for vitality."

Performances will be Thursday at 4 p.m. and Friday and Saturday at 7 p.m. Tickets are $5 for students and $10 for general admission, and are available online only.

Eight of the works will be live performances and one is on film. The ensemble of dancers range from 10 in Robin Conrad's "the mess in our wake" and a solo performance by Hailey Regenbrecht, and 35 dancers will perform. Six dancers will perform in more than one work, including Kai Martin and Kylie Elam who will each be in three works.

"I think you'll get a really great taste of what our dance community here at TWU is thinking about, what they're questioning, how they're moving, what their athleticism looks like," Gamblin said.

Two of the works are choreographed by faculty.

"The faculty choreographs in our professional lives outside of TWU," Gamblin said. "When we are able, we enjoy choreographing the students because it's a great way to teach and to share our aesthetics. Our concert series are always a mix of faculty, guests, graduate students and undergrads."

Here is this spring's lineup:

the mess in our wake
Choreographer: Robin Conrad
Dancers: Elizabeth Alfonso, Cadence Banks, Marquenys Brice, Melanie Diaz, Kylie Elam, Trinity Jones, Kai Martin, Alexy Quiroga, John Robles Rodriguez, Jailin Samuels
Rehearsal Assistant: Domiqnesha Delaney
Music: "Smile" by Petula Clark, "A Tale from the Past" by Maxence Cyrin (arranged by Brittany Padilla)

"Robin is a new assistant professor," Gamblin said. "Hers is a dynamic, engaging group piece with really fabulous costumes. She's a professional dance choreographer from L.A., so that work has got definitely a polish and a musicality that is very specific to that part of the country."

Cutting the Cord
Choreographer: Hailey Regenbrecht
Dancer: Hailey Regenbrecht
Music: Audio compilation by Hailey Regenbrecht

"Hayley did a film called Cutting the Cord," Gamblin said. "The theme of the film is grief, because of a personal loss that she has been through. It's a really neat film because of the use of texture. It's a very emotional piece. It's just really stunning visually."

Disordered
Choreographer: Breana Robertson
Dancers: Brittany Carter, Kylie Elam, Kai Martin, Demetrius Peebles, Cason Russell, Jordan Schonhoff
Music: "Event Horizon" by Breana Robertson

"Brianna has a very strong, technically clean piece which is her experiment asking questions about choreographic form," Gamblin said. "Instead of just saying, 'I'm making a piece based on this theme,' she's making a piece where she's questioning how she's making the piece and looking at the aesthetics of her own choice making and how she can disrupt her own patterns and habits. It has an unexpected quality that leaves you thinking."

Dark
Choreographer: Tyreana Handley
Dancers: Savanna Gleaves, Ashley Petersen, Breanna Piggie, Ambre Richards, Elida Saucedo
Music: "Tomb" by Richard Pryn

"Tyrionna created the barn burner called Dark, with very strong percussive music and dynamic split leaps and turns and splits and all kinds of things," Gamblin said. "It's really beautiful."

like the moon
Choreographer: Jordan Schonhoff
Dancers: John Robles Rodriguez, Jordan Schonhoff
Music: "Hit Me Where the Heart Is" by Mega Simone (edited by Brittany Padilla)

"Jordan is an undergraduate student who choreographed a very dynamic duet," Gamblin said. "Athletic, dynamic and emotional is what a lot of people think of when they think of contemporary dance. Lots of drama."

Joy and Grief
Choreographer: Sarah Gamblin
Dancers: Elizabeth Alfonso, Kodey Gwaltney, Amanda Lang, Anna Newcom, Jim Nguyen, Jewel Reece, Kennedy Glover
Music: "Joy and Grief" by The Bengsons

"My dance is for seven students, and it's inspired by this juxtaposition of how you can be in this place of loss, but then joy just sort of bubbles out because that's just part of life also," Gamblin said. "It's exciting for students getting the space to move around in a different way with an emotional undertone looking at the nuances between grief and joy."

This Just Part of the Cycle
Choreographer: Jailin Samuels
Dancers: Cadence Banks, Domiqnesha Delaney, Milele Omgba
Music: Mark Isham
Costuming: Jailin Samuels and cast

"Jalen is an African-American undergraduate student, and this definitely has themes of African American experience, but with a kind of. Also a poetic daily meditation sort of woven throughout the dance episodically. It's really beautiful. Yeah.

Chiaroscuro
Choreographer: Gabby Bracewell
Dancers: Emily Boyd, Gabby Bracewell, Kylie Elam, Ty Handley, Kai Martin
Music: original composition by Brittany Padilla

"Gabrielle has a piece which is actually nothing like it sounds," Gamblin said. "Chiaroscuro usually is related to drawing quality, but it's sort of inspired by Bob Fosse with black tights and red gloves. It's very striking visually."

El Reggeatoneo Se Repite
Choreographer: Ilse Mascorro
Dancers: Grace Moore, Jewelnia Reece, Mariangel Cerero, Saidee Rodriguez
Music: "Rude" by YellowBirdBeats

"Ilse is one of our graduating MFAs," Gamblin said. "She has been interested in the cultural binary between American and Mexican culture. Usually she focuses on folklorico, but this time she's going into the reggaeton world, looking at vernacular dance in Mexican neighborhoods and doing a play on that. It's fabulous."

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