By
Lisa Lucas
Arizona Daily Wildcat
Dance senior Adam Davies recognized as UA dance "Senior of the Year"
When asked to say a few words after receiving the UA dance department's "Senior of the Year" award during the opening night of the "Premium Blend" dance concert, Adam Davies smiled and shook his head politely declining the opportunity.
However, when asked again what his response was to his recent recognition Davies had quite a few things to say.
"I was very surprised," he said. "The seniors this year are all amazing - everybody is just great. (I am) really honored that my faculty chose me."
Davies, who began dancing in high school, said his dance career began "on a whim."
"I took a theater class my freshman year of (high) school and then I auditioned for a musical in spring," he said. "We had dance rehearsals - I was really bad at first - but I thought it was fun."
This whim apparently led Davies to discover a talent he loved -he had a knack for dance that others seemed to appreciate.
Sam Watson, assistant professor of dance at the University of Arizona, said he met Davies while teaching classes during an intensive summer program in Chicago. He said the young dancer immediately caught his eye.
"He took my (attention) right away because he was a real natural at dancing any style," Watson said. "(He was) really strong, very charismatic - that's what drew me to him."
Though Watson cited Davies' dancing versatility as a reason for his nomination, he added that Davies has also grown in his awareness of dance movements.
"There's a time when people are dancers - and then they become artists," Watson said. "In the last few years (Davies) has really become a performing artist - he's gotten more savvy in the way he approaches his movement."
Davies agreed that he has grown immensely through his versatility in dance, crediting the UA dance faculty for this growth.
"I'm (a) modern, jazz and ballet (dancer)," he said. "I am all three - and I attribute that to my teachers here."
Davies added that his family has had a considerable influence in his pursuit of dance.
"They've told me I can do whatever I want," he said. "Whatever I want to do, I will be able to do it."
Davies certainly has done it all - recently he performed at Centennial Hall in the lead male role of James Clouser's ballet, "Carmina Burana."
"I have to say that this past January doing 'Carmina' was probably (my) biggest accomplishment," he said. "I wouldn't consider myself a male ballet dancer and I had the lead role - (it was) very intimidating because I never had a solo before in my life."
Davies said his role in "Carmina" was a huge challenge he thought he "tackled really well." He said after he hit his final pose in the show and the crowd burst into applause, it was amazing.
Davies said he has again challenged himself by choreographing a dance piece for the dance department's upcoming show, "Spring Collection." His piece, which he titles 'The Space Between Us,' will be featured at Saturday's 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. performances in the Ina Gittings Dance Theater.
"This is the first piece that I've choreographed since I've been at the UA," Davies said. "It's kind of my own style - modern, ballet and jazz all put into one. The music is composed by Topu Lyo (of the UA music department) - he's a cellist."
He described the piece as an "aggressive, bizarre, territorial" duet featuring a gesture that came to him in a dream.
"I woke up and I thought, 'Oh my God, that's really cool!' I just saw this image in my head and so I put that in my piece," he said.
As for the future, Davies is leaving his options open.
"I'm thinking about going to check out Amsterdam and plop down there for a little bit and see where that takes me," Davies said. "I want to do everything."
