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Colleges and universities historically have served as cozy incubators for American modern dance, and they often offer more resources than the “real world,” where competition for grants is stiff and studio space is rented by the precious hour. Chris Johnson, associate professor of dance at Beloit College since the early 1990s, makes the most of the college setting to create daring pieces that are gaining traction beyond academia.
Several years ago, with student support, she took on the Holocaust as a topic for a new dance. Concerned about tackling such a serious theme, and not having any related personal experiences, she invited a Holocaust survivor to campus to view rehearsals, talk to the dancers and visit other classes on the Wisconsin campus.
The work, Wreath of Memories, garnered widespread praise: The Holocaust Museum in Washington, D.C., even extended a performance invitation in 2002. “It was a phenomenal experience,” Johnson says.
That process “set the paradigm” for Johnson’s subsequent works, all involving socially conscious subject matter, lots of research and creative exploration both in the studio and with faculty, students and visitors on the wider college campus. “You can’t be a really good dancer if you’re not there intellectually as well,” Johnson says. “Kids who want to dance have a lot to offer, and they want to stretch those neurons, too.”
Several times, Johnson’s pieces have been selected for special performances at the annual American College Dance Festival, a national gathering for dance departments from around the country. “People ask me how I get such engaged performances out of the students,” Johnson says. “It’s because they know what they’re dancing about.”
See Johnson’s work when Chelonia Dance performs at the Ruth Page Center Friday 18 and Saturday 19.
