DancEstrella, the student company of Estrella Mountain Community College (EMCC), will present The Little Things on November 22nd and 23rd at EMCC’s Performing Arts Center in Avondale, Arizona. Shows are at 3pm & 7pm and admission is FREE. Immediately after each show, audience members are invited to a brief conversation with the dancers about their creative process.

Under the artistic direction of faculty member, Janaea Lyn McAlee, the choreography is primarily by the students, representing a range of interpretations on the theme of The Little Things. Featured works are by dance majors in Choreography 2 class, Anthony Castro, and Alizé Rojas. Choreographed by Castro, True Reality, is about three individuals who are dealing with real life issues and are seen reflecting on the little things that make them who they are today. Child’s Play, choreographed by Rojas, is about the personalities of her sisters and their relationships. Disconnect by student guest choreographer, Dalýlá Bates, explores the idea of mind versus body as experienced in the environment of the brain. Completing the show is Levity, an ode to childhood choreographed by Artistic Director and faculty member Janaea Lyn McAlee with the full company.

Collaborative dances include Awareness, a duet choreographed and performed by Carissa Salgado-Garcia and Jade Teller that expresses the importance of promoting awareness and understanding about issues faced by people with disabilities and illness. Mania, choreographed and performed by Camryn Cruz and Audrey Rodriguez, takes us into a space of vulnerability as the dancers embody the experience of dealing with manic depression. In Opposites, Deckontee Lowery and Annisa Reed portray a bond between two people who have completely different personalities but discover what they both have in common.

The process of creating the dances for The Little Things in Performance class includes each student sharing an image, quote, and a backstory along with their individual movement motif. Students are grouped according to their ideas and movement styles to collaborate on creating dances. The Choreography 2 students built on this process by auditioning dancers and fully choreographing their group dances to express their choreographic vision.

Photographer: Linda Keyes. Dancers: Cam Cruz, Brooke Kent

EMCC dance program offers an AAFA degree in Dance and classes are open to all students, including participation in DancEstrella. For more information EMCC Dance Program, or Janaea Lyn McAlee at 623-935-8427 , ude.niatnuomallertsenull@eelacm.aeanaj