Sharp Show Expands, Moves to Margo Jones Theatre

Myra Woodruff has seen a lot of Sharp Shows. The annual event showcasing original, student-created choreography typically features four or five works by senior dancers. But this year, Woodruff, professor of dance and faculty mentor for the Sharp Show, counts 10 numbers in the program, each with its own signature style.

“All the pieces are so different, and they all have their own stories,” says Woodruff. “And with the change of performance space this year, the students have worked especially hard!”

The show is moving from its usual venue, the Charles S. Sharp Performing Arts Studio located in the lower level of the Owen Arts Center, to the larger Margo Jones Theatre on the main floor. One of the pluses of the move is that the Margo Jones can seat up to 125 people. But its theatre-in-the-round environment presents new challenges to the students: The dancers will be surrounded by the audience on at least three sides instead of the usual one side. This new setup has mandated some fundamental adjustments in the presentation of the show.

“The new space means the students have done a lot of problem-solving,” says Woodruff. “On a proscenium stage, the audience always looks in one direction. But in the Jones space, the eyes of the audience will be shifting to different places in the room. The dancers have had to take that into account as they created their choreography. They figured out a nice flow within sequences, and planned it so they wouldn’t exclude anyone in the audience.”

Unlike previous Sharp Shows, which mostly relied on recorded music, the students this year elected to have live music in some of the pieces. In one number, a guitarist sits center stage; in another, students play piano and trombone.

The 50 dancers for the 10 numbers range from first-years dancers to seniors. All had to audition to be in the show and were selected by the senior choreographers and dance faculty.

Although moving to the Margo Jones means more people will be able to see the show, the Saturday, January 25 show sold out right away. The few remaining tickets for the Sunday show, January 26 at 2 p.m., are free but MUST be reserved in advance.