THE 2009 EXCHANGE Choreography Dance Festival

Well, the first annual EXCHANGE Choreography Festival has come to a close and we couldn't be more thrilled. I know it was small beginnings but everything went so well from start to end. We had some phenomenal teachers who joined us for our inaugural year: Melody Ruffin-Ward from Roger Williams University, Stephanie Miracle from New York, L. Brooke Schlecte from Baylor University and Artistic Director of Out On a Limb Dance Company, Sarah Newton from the Dallas/Ft. Worth area and our very own Tulsans, Amy McIntosh (Oral Roberts University/Living Water Dance Company) and Jessica Vokoun (The University of Tulsa). Joining Melody Ruffin-Ward, L. Brooke Schlecte, and Stephanie Miracle on the adjudication panel was Tulsa's dance legacy, Becky Eagleton. Thank you so much to all the faculty and staff for making our first EXCHANGE a success!

Notable work/performances in the adjudicated concert series included stunning work by Rebecca Borden and Rebekah Hampton, both members of Perpetual Motion Modern Dance Oklahoma out of Oklahoma City. Borden’s, “i does not exist”, revealed Rebecca’s ability as a performer to throw her body to the floor in a blend of violent sensuality that rarely made one feel uncomfortable, but rather amazed and magnetized to her primal physicality.
Several students presented work birthed during Amy McIntosh’s (Living Water Dance Company) DanceMaking workshop in late June. Students were invited to continue working on their pieces and present as student choreographers during the adjudicated series. All of the students came from Pam Haden’s studio, The Dance Pointe, and exhibited a surprising maturity while performing and in receiving and responding to feedback from the panel.

Artistic directors of REDDance, Amanda Jackson and Meredith Cook from Texas Woman’s University presented another notable work, entitled “Shall Too Pass” that questioned the idea of ‘watchers’, as well as, a mysteriously ominous solo by Kayla Jenkins presented in the Sunday adjudicated concert. "Inside by Kayla Jenkins is a profoundly visceral experience. Jenkins use of imagery, groundedness, and costume (as a prop) brought the piece to this visceral space and captured the essence of a deep gnawing place in the soul”, says adjudicator, L. Brooke Schlecte, Artistic Director of Out On a Limb Dance Company.

Schlecte, Eagleton, Ruffin-Ward, and Miracle formed the perfect panel for the festival’s inaugural year. Many participants commented on the warmth and generosity of the adjudicators as they shared from their experience in reflection of the presented work and in their master classes. The Gala Performance was a great way to see some of their work as well. There were performances by the always intriguing Out On a Limb Dance Company as well as local and artistically diverse, Living Water Dance Company. Melody Ruffin-Ward set a solo performed by myself as well as Stephanie Miracle sharing a duet site-specific performance that traveled the ORU campus to various sights.

I’d like to close this year’s festival with the following comment from a scholarship recipient: “This weekend has already given me so much inspiration towards my goals as a dance therapist and dance supporter. Please keep in touch and continue to help others grow using your passion and creative intuition in dance.”

*photos by Maranda Blumenthal