Wichita State University’s faculty and student dancers will perform and network with faculty and students from the region’s other universities when the School of Performing Arts hosts the annual Kansas Dance Festival at 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Nov. 14-15, in Miller Concert Hall, Duerksen Fine Arts Center.
Top talent from Wichita State University’s dance program will meld with such guest companies as the University of Kansas and the University of Central Oklahoma, for two exciting evenings of classic and contemporary dance.
C. Nicholas Johnson
“The importance of the arts is that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts,” he said. “It’s wonderful when an event is larger than what it is. It’s great when it’s more than just a dance concert. That’s what’s super about the festival.”
The networking for the students, too, is huge, said Johnson.
“We always host a meal after the last show; we’ll have 100 dancers in our house,” he said. “It’s just a really fun short blast of a moment where they all get to meet and greet each other.”
Finally, WSU annually hosting the festival helps the College of Fine Arts maintain a presence in the Midwest, Johnson said, and “that visibility translates to growth.”