Dance and theater have it made, summer 1997

By Reena Dutt
Arizona Daily Wildcat
May 7, 1997

Dance and theater have it made, summer 1997

Another semester is over and students are finally awaiting a summer of iced tea, swimming and laying out in the sun. Sounds wonderful after a hellish finals week and teachers who like bell curves, eh? Well, it's time for everyone to relax. Then again, what happens to the Theater and Dance departments after most of us go home? Unlike those who end up sleeping summer days away, they have summer programs to work on.

After finishing off the school season with "Macbeth" and "Mississippi Delta," our very own Theater Department is taking a long break-just kidding. Though the department is not quite as bogged down with work as it normally is during the school year, this summer a couple of general theater classes will be offered, including Theater Arts 100 and Theater Arts 103.

Besides summer school, the Arizona Repertory Theater is in the process of putting together yet another show - "Arsenic and Old Lace." Didn't they just finish a few shows? Well, they are definitely keeping busy. The production will last from June 19 to June 29.

The University of Arizona is not sticking to just that, however; they are expanding this to a yearly tradition. Every summer professor in the Theater Department participates in the Fine Arts Seek Camp, a camp designed for kids. Along with those organizing the camp, Program Coordinator Eleanor Smith selects a few professors from the Theater Department to teach the theater arts to younger students in the community.

The Dance Department is also going to have some activities for the summer. Even if a good amount of the dancers leave for summer workshops elsewhere, the UA Dance Department shall not rest. As usual, beginning level classes will be offered.

Along with summer classes, the department runs a local studio, Ballet Arts. In conjunction with the UA, this studio will offer the 12th Annual Summer Workshop for serious dancers in Tucson.

This summer the dance department has been invited to perform at the Amsterdam Theater Festival. The UA is the first public university to be invited to this occasion. Usually performing schools such as Julliard and Duke University have been on the list, but this summer our very own school is participating.

As you can see, after having a great year, the Theater and Dance departments have an interesting and busy summer waiting.