Common Thread

The Sharp Show Dance Series is an annual showcase of works choreographed and produced by seniors from SMU’s Division of Dance.  This year’s piece, Common Thread, which was presented in January, boasted a new venue, a new theme, and a new purpose, thanks to the collective dedication of the Class of 2008.

The seniors behind Common Thread had a mission: to showcase their work and to raise funds for Bryan’s House, a special care facility in Dallas for children affected by HIV/AIDS.  A year ago, an SMU dance composition class led by professor Nathan Montoya visited Bryan’s House to present a dance performance for children there, who amazed the SMU students with their eagerness to dance along. The visit inspired this year’s seniors to not only use the performance as a fundraiser to benefit Bryan’s House, but to return to the center to teach a two-day creative movement workshop for the children.

Director Matt Walfish (B.F.A. ’08 - Dance) said, “The title, Common Thread, is reflective of how humanity is linked together by commonalities. In our case, the gift and love of dance was one common thread that was shared between the children of Bryan’s House and the senior class.”

In addition to its focus on the Dallas community, Common Thread aimed to highlight the strong sense of community within this year’s senior class. Walfish said, “In years past, not every senior was involved with the Sharp Show. This year, our class realized that we came into SMU together, and we’d like to honor how we’ve grown, struggled, and succeeded together. Interludes, which we called ‘seams,’ were created between pieces, not only as an opportunity for all of the senior class to be featured and showcased, but also to serve as a constant tie throughout the show, creating a flow between acts.”

Common Thread brought the Sharp Show to a new venue, the Margo Jones Theatre. Traditionally used for theatre performances, the space offered a larger seating capacity, interesting architecture, and more flexibility to enhance the production’s design elements. Four design students from the theatre division, Clay Eads, Emily Bean, Lois Catanzaro, and Michael Wonson, lent their talents to the Sharp Show, gaining insight into the art of lighting for dance. Catanzaro said, “When we light for dance, we're working with our choreographers to determine how we're telling the story and what the piece should look like. Moving up to the Jones was fantastic – we got more equipment, which meant more flexibility to make each piece unique.  When there is no set, we rely on the lighting to anchor the setting, whether that means a time and a place or an environment in which the piece happens.”
Reflecting on bringing these new additions to the 2008 Sharp Show, Walfish said, “It was a long process, but something that was amazing. Our class worked together. It wasn’t the vision of one or two people. Each senior had something to offer and that was what made this entire project so great.”

To learn more about Bryan’s House and how you can have a positive impact on the lives of young people affected by HIV/AIDS, please visit their website at http://www.bryanshouse.org/ .

Back to March 2008 newsletter