NATCHITOCHES – Northwestern State University’s Department of Theatre and Dance will present its spring dance concert, “Dancescapes,” Feb. 19-21 in the A.A. Fredericks Auditorium. Performance time is 7:30 p.m. each evening with a 2 p.m. performance on Feb. 21. Tickets are $15 for adults and $12 for children and senior citizens. NSU, BPCC@NSU and Louisiana School for Math, Science, and the Arts students are admitted free with a current student I.D. Tickets are available online at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/dancescapes-tickets-1980557643226?aff=ebdsoporgprofile
Choreography is by NSU dance faculty Brett Alan Garfinkel, Nhan Ho, Kirstin I. Riehl and Joy Campbell.
“Shifting Landscapes” by Garfinkel is rooted in an exploration of friendship, how closeness is built, tested and transformed over time.
“As I create this work, I am experimenting with projection and multimedia for the first time, investigating how these elements can support the narrative and heighten the visual and emotional impact of the choreography,” said Garfinkel. “I am inviting the dancers to bring their own experiences of relationship into the room, asking for meaningful gestures and movement choices that reflect personal connection. This collaborative approach allows the story to emerge organically, grounding the work in authenticity while expanding its expressive possibilities through multimedia.”
“Shifting Landscapes” will be performed by Jaeda Barrett of New Orleans and Kwincy Pierre of Lafayette.
Ho will present two works, “Occupied Space” and “What Remains.”
In “Occupied Space,” a table becomes a meeting place, creating levels, boundaries and points of connection.
“Through touch, weight and shifting relationships with the prop, movement emerges as conversation rather than narrative,” said Ho. “Rooted in the language of jazz, the work unfolds through exchange, pause and response, accompanied by an original score developed in close collaboration with composer Geegs. Music and movement listen to one another, shaping a space where connection is felt rather than told.”
The cast for “Occupied Space” is Cameron Bruno of River Ridge, Payton Deselle of New Orleans, Ellie Dufrene of Schriever, Avery Holmes of Monroe, Nicole Miller of Start, Makenzie Scroggs of Marksville, Arien Thibodeaux of Lafayette and Liza White of Baton Rouge.
“What Remains” is a contemporary piece exploring memory through movement and physical relationship.
“The choreography traces how memories shift over time, resurfacing, fading and returning in altered forms,” said Ho. “Through recurring gestures and evolving connections, the dancers move between presence and absence, allowing moments to echo and transform. The work reflects the persistence of remembering and reveals what remains over time.”
The cast consists of Barrett, Victoria Freeling of Covington and Darrick Jasmine of Lake Charles.
“Impermanence” by Riehl is work is rooted in Riehl’s ongoing exploration of Buddhist philosophy, particularly the concept of impermanence or anicca.
“It reflects my interest in how we experience change—often resisting it, grieving it or attempting to control it—rather than allowing it to move through us,” said Riehl. “The piece sits in the tension between holding on and letting go, acknowledging that nothing remains fixed, including our identities, relationships and sense of certainty. Through movement, I am less interested in offering answers and more interested in creating space for acceptance, presence and the quiet clarity that can emerge when we recognize that change is not something to fear, but something inherent to being human.”
“Impermanence” will be performed by Barrett, Dufrene, Freeling, Jasmine, Miller, Pierre, Scroggs, White, Will Kielwasser of West Monroe and Cara Thomason of Denham Springs.
“Echoes” by Campbell is set to a composition by Ryuichi Sakamoto, “Echoes,” and explores the emotional experience of sorting through a loved one’s belongings after their passing. Objects become carriers of memory, grief and absence, but ultimately lead to a celebration of the fullness of the life once lived.
“The choreography uses non-traditional tap movement and unconventional counting patterns to reflect the uneven, unpredictable nature of loss,” said Campbell. “Disrupted rhythms, pauses and moments of silence mirror the tension between holding on and letting go, allowing sound and movement to embody remembrance and emotional fragility.”
The cast consists of Barrett, Freeling, Freeman, Holmes, Pierre, Thomason, Allyce Richards of Leesville and Tyler Sibley of Alexandria.