Southeastern’s Contemporary Dance Program received national recognition at the American College Dance Association with faculty choreography selected for the prestigious ACDA’s 50th Anniversary Gala.
This was a very special year since it was ACDA’s 50 anniversary conference. Southeastern’s Contemporary Dance Program has been in attendance at this conference for over 30 years.
There were 21 universities attending the conference from Texas, New Mexico, Illinois, and Louisiana showcasing 39 dances that were choreographed by faculty, students, and guest artists.
Each university performed one faculty work (Keith Costa) and one student work (Trinity Brown) in a concert formal, which was adjudicated in front of a panel of established dance professionals in the field from all over the country. The panel gave feedback and selected the top 12 dances for the prestigious gala. Southeastern also showed one student work (Elizabeth Birkel) in the informal concert as well.
Costa’s faculty choreography “Mercy and Grace” was selected for ACDA’s 50th Anniversary Gala and was performed by Birkel and Brown. Costa also taught a masterclass at the conference.
“I was so humbled by the honor, especially seeing that several of the other universities had two dances in the gala which put Southeastern within the top seven universities selected,” said Costa. “Another thing to note is that a lot of the other universities offer a BA, BFA, MA, or MFA in Dance. We only have a dance minor or concentration within the general studies degree, yet our students performed so professionally and beautifully.”
For more information on Southeastern’s Contemporary Dance Program, contact kcosta@southeastern.edu.
Above: Elizabeth Birkel (General Studies-Dance Concentration major from Destrehan, LA), Trinity Brown (General Studies-Dance Concentration major from New Orleans, LA), Kairah Senegal (Dance and Contemporary Choreography minor from Lafayette, LA), and Keith Skip Costa (Director of Dance at Southeastern). All attended the ACDA, American College Dance Association, South Central Region Conference in March 2023 hosted by Sam Houston State University.
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