Local and visiting dance teachers hosted a series of dance workshops in the Varsity Gymnasium titled Contemp Lover’s Workshop on Saturday, Aug. 24.

The event featured four different workshops, which were led by members or alumni of local dance crews and instructors from outside the university.

Approximately 70 dancers participated in the event, which included an improvisatory dance session after the four workshops.

“The main objective of this workshop was to let people with any dance background or interest in contemporary dance have an opportunity to come and dance with other people who love the same thing as themselves,” workshop leader Amy Connerly said.

The workshop was organized by Appalachian State University Dance Studies student Jane Bowers, who is a member of local hip-hop crew Entropy as well as KODACHROME NC.

“Although the entire workshop was contemporary, each of the choreographers created very different pieces with individual movement profiles, vision and skill level,” said senior psychology major and workshop participant Joshua Carr.

The workshop was free and open to dancers of any experience level and to dancers from all over the country. Connerly traveled from her current residence in New York City to teach.

“I was lucky enough to be asked to join these talented teachers for this workshop,” Connerly said.

Other teachers included UNC-Wilmington student Courtney Perrone, formerly of the Wilmington-based Physical Graffeeti crew, and James Madison University student Khyre Dean of dance crews Visual Distortions and Mosaic.

“I believe that the best thing about the workshop was the unity that was present in that dancers from the App dance department with technical training, Entropy dancers and out of town dancers all convened to simply share in the love of dance,” Carr said.

STORY: COLIN MOORE, A&E Reporter
PHOTO: MAGGY BOUTWELL, Intern Photographer