Celebrating Diversity Through Dance will feature guest-artist-in-residence Gregory Patterson, a dancer, teacher and choreographer.
Patterson, whose renowned work heightens awareness and encourages dialogue about diversity among artists, will choreograph an original work created for dance students at 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 19, in Centennial East, room 116. He will work with students throughout the week in master classes.
Patterson will also take part in an open discussion on diversity issues as part of a series by The Crossroads Project titled Advancing Diversity Consciousness in the Arts at noon on Friday, Oct. 18, in Centennial East, room 116.
The events are free and open to the campus community.
The week of events is sponsored by MECCPAC, Illinois State Dance Association, The Crossroads Project and Illinois State’s School of Theatre and Dance.
An associate professor of dance, Patterson is the dance program director at Oakland University. He is the founder and artistic director of Patterson Rhythm Pace Dance Co., and has been dancing and teaching professionally across the nation and abroad for more than 25 years. Patterson has received the Maggie Allesse Choreography Award, and his work has been chosen for the Leo Choreography competition at the Jazz Dance World Congress. His signature piece Who’s the Boss, was performed in Russia as part of an Eisenhower Dance Ensemble appearance with the Pushkin Ballet.
He also regularly travels to Greece to teach, choreograph and perform in the Detroit Mercy/Oakland University Classical Greek Theatre Summer Study Program, which is the only American university-sponsored program of its kind.
For additional information, contact Assistant Professor of Dance Darby Wilde at 438-1654.
