The Wichita State University Department of Dance will present a spring performance by the Wichita Contemporary Dance Theatre (WCDT) at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, April 23, at the Orpheum Theatre.

Tickets are $12; $6 for students, seniors and military. Tickets are available through Select-A-Seat (755-SEAT), any Dillon's Superstore or at the door.  Seating is general admission.

It will be an eclectic evening of dance that will appeal to all ages, according to Nick Johnson, director of dance for WSU. 

Under the direction of Johnson and faculty Sabrina Vasquez, Denise Celestin and Amy Baker, there will be guest works by Cheyla Clawson, Chris Montiel, Elizabeth Pomeroy, AJ Pflumm, Amy Pollard and Yannic Dozier, and will include ballet, modern, jazz, contemporary and mime theater favorites.

Long partnership

WSU Dance and the Orpheum are in what both entities hope will be a long and successful community partnership, said Johnson.

In fact, this is the third consecutive year that WSU Dance will have taken a performance to the Orpheum. In 2009, Johnson brought his Alithea Mime Theatre to life on the Orpheum stage. And in 2010, after a successful run at Wichita State, “The Wiyos of Oz” production went on the road in a three-city tour that returned to Wichita to play the Orpheum.

“The invitation we received to return to the Orpheum for another creative endeavor is like a gentle stroke of community acceptance for an enduring creative spirit,” Johnson said. “And performing outside the boundaries of the WSU campus is another small bridge between the community and our university.

“We are excited to partner with WSU Contemporary Dance Theatre again. We are lucky to have the talent of Nick Johnson and his dancers here in Wichita and we look forward to another successful performance,” said Jennifer Wright, interim president of the Orpheum.