The Department of Dance at UC Irvine’s Claire Trevor School of the Arts will present “Dance Visions,” its annual dance production, at Irvine Barclay Theatre from Feb. 20-22. We asked co-artistic director and UCI associate professor Tong Wang about the show.
What sets “Dance Visions” apart?
It’s a faculty-produced show, and some of the department’s leading choreographers are involved. While we produce many concerts each year, this one stands out because it’s performed at a public venue rather than a campus space.
What styles and themes can audiences expect to see?
Audiences will experience everything from classical ballet to contemporary, hip-hop and fusion. It’s a showcase of the diversity in our program. There’s no central theme because I think art is about freedom of expression and creativity. Our student body is very diverse, just like our faculty, so we try to create an inclusive environment where everybody has a chance to dance.
What do you hope your students gain from this experience?
We want to challenge our dancers because you can always be a lawyer or a doctor, even if you’re a little bit older; you can only dance when you’re young. They all have this dream – they want to be dancers. We try our best to fulfill their dream by pushing, helping and inspiring them.