ROCK SPRINGS  — Western Wyoming Community College’s Performing Arts Department will premiere its annual Desert Dance Theatre Spring Concert on Thursday, April 24, 2014, at 7:30 p.m. in the WWCC Theatre. Additional shows are scheduled for April 25 and 26, and May 1, 2 and 3.

This year’s concert is directed by DDT Artistic Director and Instructor of Dance Julia Mayo, and features choreography from an array of contemporary choreographers.

“This concert has been a tradition in the community for over 20 years,” Mayo said. “I am honored to be able to continue Western Wyoming Community College’s tradition of bringing quality dance to Rock Springs and Sweetwater County.”

The concert will feature work by five choreographers, each of whom will bring distinctive styles and approaches to the program. One of these artists is guest choreographer Lawrence Jackson, Associate Professor of Dance at the University of Wyoming and a former member of the Denver-based company Cleo Parker Robinson Dance.

“I enjoyed working with the DDT company members immensely,” Jackson said. “I found the dancers to be professional, committed, reliable, passionate, confident, humble, and respectful. These are qualities I seek when working with dancers. It makes for a seamless choreographic process.”

Mayo said that Jackson’s professional and educational background in dance made him an ideal choreographer to work with Western’s students.

“He has had a wonderful career as a performer, choreographer, and teacher, and he can bring these experiences into his process,” Mayo said. “He was able to challenge the students with the strong physicality of his work.

“Since Mr. Jackson is on faculty at the University of Wyoming, I felt that this would be a great opportunity to strengthen the relationship between our two programs,” she continued. “The University of Wyoming has a wonderful dance program and our students were able to experience part of that program during Mr. Jackson’s residency.”

For this concert, Jackson has remounted his work Exurgency, which was originally created for students at the University of Nevada Las Vegas.

“Choreographically, the piece is more along the lines of a contemporary modern dance work, incorporating both the controlled leg-work of ballet and emphasis on modern dance principles such as fall and recovery, floor work and unpredictable changes in speed, rhythm and spatial direction,” Jackson said. “Artistically, this piece is about spiritual transformation and meditation. The term ‘exurgent’ means arising or coming to light. What this piece attempts to do is illuminate how the power of meditation serves as a catalyst which opens us to the process of inner transformation.”

The Performing Arts Department is also excited to premiere a work by Caroline Fermin, company dancer and Education Director with New York City-based Gallim Dance.

“It was wonderful to have Ms. Fermin work with our students. Her piece incorporates text, which can be challenging for dancers,” Mayo said. “I make a conscious effort to choose work that will both challenge and inspire our students, and I believe Ms. Fermin’s does just that.”

The spring concert will also include works by Julia Mayo and adjunct dance faculty Daniel Mayo, as well as by Antonio Brown of the Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company.

The Desert Dance Theatre Spring Concert is appropriate for ages 3 and up. Tickets are $10 for adults and $6 for students and seniors. For questions and ticket information, please go to www.wwcc.wy.edu/tickets.htm, or call the Performing Arts Office at (307) 382-1721.