Dance Professor Cynthia Pratt wants to give Butler’s Class of 2022 a welcome to remember. So she and four student choreographers from the Dance Department have put together a large-scale dance project that will feature the entire department performing on the grassy areas outside Irwin Library and Jordan Hall on Thursday, September 20, from 6:30-7:00 PM.
The dance will celebrate the start of the new academic year and will revolve around the themes and values of the Butler Way. The soundtrack for the dance is expected to incorporate snippets of interviews with students, faculty, and staff talking about their Butler experiences.
“I thought it would be a great opportunity for the department to welcome everyone back to campus,” said Pratt, who is starting her 24th year at Butler. “The Dance Department here is significant, but many of the students don’t know who we are or what we do. Even though this type of dance isn’t what we’re known for—we’re known for ballet—I thought it would be a wonderful welcome for the whole student body, especially since we have the largest freshman class ever.”
Pratt said the idea for an all-department project goes back four years, when she choreographed a dance as part of StreamLines, an outdoor art project that meshed arts and science. She said that project was tough—”they’re outside, they’re uncomfortable, they’re hot, they’re rolling around in grass, and there’s stuff in that grass”—but it helped create a bond that lasted throughout their college careers.
More than 100 students will participate in the dance.
“We found in the department that when we did those large group dances, the morale in the department skyrocketed,” she said. “We found that this was a really positive experience—not just for the students, but for the onlookers as well. These were really successful performances.”
Media Contact:
Marc Allan
mallan@butler.edu
317-940-9822