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Savannah State University’s Visual and Performing Arts Dance Group Performs Live This Week

The Obsidian Dance Repertory is the university's official pre-professional dance group in the Department of Fine Arts, Humanities and Wellness.

Savannah State University’s Visual and Performing Arts Program will present “Faces of Change,” the long-anticipated fall dance concert featuring performances by the Obsidian Dance Repertory, the official pre-professional dance group for the university’s Department of Fine Arts, Humanities and Wellness. Located on campus in the Kennedy Fine Arts Center Theater, 3219 College St., the program will take place at 8 p.m. nightly Nov. 18 – 20.

“The Obsidian Dance Repertory is no stranger to the stage, but pandemic conditions restricted public performances for over a year,” said Nicholas Silberg, professor and chair of the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences’ Department of Fine Arts, Humanities and Wellness. ‘Faces of Change’ is a fiercely exciting dance theater experience with a variety of styles everyone can enjoy, ranging from Afro-Modern to contemporary to ballet.”

The concert theme is about changes impacting the human condition due to unforeseeable circumstances, resulting in awakenings and unearthed reflections, forever changing oneself and the world in which one lives. Showcasing a variety of dance by nationally recognized choreographers, highlights include choreography from Visual and Performing Arts senior Ricardo Richardson, and collaborative faculty choreography by associate professor of dance Toni Renee Johnson and Kisha Aites, Ph.D., associate professor of engineering technology education in the College of Education.

Open dress rehearsal will be held on Nov. 18 for $1, followed by nightly performances on Nov. 19 and 20. Admission is $5 for students, seniors and members of the military with a valid ID, and $10 for non-students. Seating is limited and masks are encouraged while inside campus facilities. Tickets are available for purchase on-site.

The Obsidian Dance Repertory serves as ambassadors for the university, having traveled as far as China, to perform and network with the international dance community.

The Department of Fine Arts, Humanities, and Wellness offers courses leading to the Bachelor of Fine Arts in the Visual and Performing Arts. The Visual and Performing Arts Program provides a comprehensive interdisciplinary curriculum in music education and performance, performing arts, and studio art. The program utilizes individualized instruction to develop aesthetic and technical competency, a global perspective on the arts and an appreciation of diverse modes of expression. Building on the robust artistic culture of the community and region, the program encourages collaboration, creating opportunities for students to exhibit their creative skills and to explore varied careers in the visual and performing arts.

For more information, contact Johnson at (912) 358-3496 or by emailing johnsontr@savannahstate.edu.

About Savannah State University
Established in 1890, Savannah State University is the first public historically black college or university in Georgia and the first institution of higher learning in the city of Savannah. Students select majors from 30 undergraduate and five graduate programs in four colleges — Business Administration, Education, Liberal Arts and Social Sciences, and Sciences and Technology. For more information, visit savannahstate.edu.

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