UCSB Dance Company to debut ‘Convergence’ before European tour

The UCSB Dance Company will premiere a new contemporary dance program this March before taking it on tour across Europe. "Convergence: into the center"runs March 11-13, at Hatlen Theater, marking a culminating performance for the company's senior dancers.

Six months in the making, the program showcases premieres by choreographers Seda Aybay, Ashley Lindsey, Monique Meunier and Meredith Ventura, alongside re-stagings by Joshua Manculich, Sophie Berls and alumna Annalise Evans. Under the artistic direction of Delila Moseley, the 14-member, pre-professional company will tour the work in April to Istanbul; Cologne, Germany; Poland; and Prague, Czech Republic, offering performances, workshops and master classes in each city.

Associate professor Monique Meunier opens the concert with "Aura," a work for five dancers en pointe that blends classical and contemporary vocabularies. The piece traces a journey from tentative beginnings to embodied strength, exploring how individuality is shaped through shared rhythm and support.

In "The Rate in Which I Am," choreographer Joshua Manculich reflects on the pace of modern life and its effect on human connection. The work, originally commissioned by DanceWorks Chicago and recognized at the Palm Desert Choreography Festival, invites audiences to pause and inhabit the present. His solo "Focus" examines the tension created by sustained attention. These re-stagings mark Manculich's second residency with the company.

Meredith Ventura presents "Cadavre Exquis," set to songs by Edith Piaf. Drawing on the surrealist practice of collective creation, the piece explores vulnerability, resilience and the complexities of shared experience through layered ensemble work and intimate duets.

Los Angeles-based choreographer Ashley Lindsey contributes "Shedding," a full-company work created during a November residency. The piece examines release and transformation, asking what remains when external layers fall away.

Guest choreographer Seda Aybay, founder of Kybele Dance Theater, will premiere a new work created during a January residency. Her choreography has been presented nationally and internationally, and she was named a 2019 Cultural Ambassador by the City of Los Angeles.

Senior Sophie Berls restages "call 4," a quartet exploring self-performance across digital and physical spaces, while alumna Annalise Evans returns to stage "We Were Light," a reflection on childhood playfulness and rediscovered joy.

Now in its 34th year, the UCSB Dance Company offers graduating seniors the opportunity to perform and tour as a pre-professional ensemble. With "Convergence: into the center," the company brings together established artists, emerging voices and alumni in a program designed for both campus audiences and an international stage.

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The University of California, Santa Barbara is a leading research institution that also provides a comprehensive liberal arts learning experience. Our academic community of faculty, students, and staff is characterized by a culture of interdisciplinary collaboration that is responsive to the needs of our multicultural and global society. All of this takes place within a living and learning environment like no other, as we draw inspiration from the beauty and resources of our extraordinary location at the edge of the Pacific Ocean.