Expressions of Democracy 2012 - Center for Civic Engagement

Democracy Dance Project

Hofstra University
Center for Civic Engagement,
Office of the Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs,
the Hofstra Cultural Center,
and the Department of Drama and Dance

invite high school students to submit choreography to be considered for performance at Expressions of Democracy, a daylong arts event on Monday, October 15, 2012, the day before the presidential debate at Hofstra University.

Student choreography should be inspired by a social issue important to today’s Americans. Examples are:

Civil Rights
Immigration
Labor and Workers
War & Violence

Works should be 3-7 minutes long, and should be submitted on a DVD, postmarked by Friday, June 1, 2012. Each high school is eligible to submit two works. Dance education majors at Hofstra University will choose up to four pieces to be performed at the John Cranford Adams Playhouse on Monday, October 15th from 11:15 a.m. to 12:40 p.m. Winners will be announced by Friday, June 15, 2012. Download Letter of Intent to Submit

The following are two examples of excerpts of works by Hofstra dance faculty that were inspired by social issues, and that were performed by Hofstra students in the 2011 faculty concerts:

Excerpt from “Into Sunlight,” inspired by David Maraniss’s They Marched Into Sunlight, choreographed by Hofstra faculty member Robin Becker, and danced by Hofstra dance students and members of Robin Becker Dance, Spring 2011. “This work is dedicated to the 60 men of the Black Lions Battalion who lost their lives in Vietnam on October 17th, 1967.” The excerpt focuses on the Vietnam War student protesters at the University of Wisconsin in Madison.

Music by Chris Lastovicka
Costumes by Cheryl McCarron
Music Direction by Arthur Solari

Excerpt from “Kadogo,” choreographed by Hofstra faculty member Amy Marshall, performed by Hofstra dance students, Fall 2011. Kadogo means “small” in Kiswahili. This is the name given to the Child-Soldiers in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Music by Matthew Cohen (Hofstra graduate)
Costumes by Meredith Van Scoy