The colorful and symbolic dance forms of ancient China will blend with the energy of modern choreography in February, when Lily Cai comes to the UT Dallas campus for a two-week residency of workshops in dance.
During the residency, members of the Advanced Dance Performance class (DANC3345) will receive intense training as they learn a piece choreographed by Lily Cai. They will take the piece to the American College Dance Festival Association South Central competition at Texas A&M University in March.
Cai’s residency culminates in a free lecture and dance demonstration at 8 p.m., Feb. 13, in the University Theatre. Cai will discuss the nuances of her craft and the Advanced Dance class students will perform the piece Cai choreographed for them.
“We are delighted that our dance students will have this unique opportunity to work with Lily Cai, whose work is a fusion of her Chinese origins and Western modern dance, spanning time from the age of the dynasties to the 21st century,” said Associate Dean for the Arts Kathryn Evans. “Our students will remember this experience for the rest of their lives.”
In addition to Lily Cai’s residency at UT Dallas, the Lily Cai Dance Company will perform at the Eisemann Center. Before Cai’s on-campus lecture, she and her dance company will present Dynasties and Beyond at 8 p.m., Feb. 7, in the Eisemann Center’s Hill Performance Hall. Tickets are available through the Eisemann by calling (972) 744-4650 or by visiting the center’s Web site.
Cai is a native of Shanghai and former principal dancer with the Shanghai Opera House Dance Troupe. Since locating in California in 1983, she has been a major authority and resource in Chinese Dance and the integration of Chinese traditional dance with Western ballet and American modern dance.
Sponsors of the Lily Cai Dance Company’s UT Dallas residency are the Confucius Institute at UT Dallas and the UT Dallas Multicultural Center. The residency is also supported by a grant from the Mid-Atlantic Arts Alliance.
University Theatre is located near Drive C in the center of campus. Due to construction, visitors are asked to enter campus via University Parkway and to veer onto Armstrong to access parking lots A through D. For more information about campus construction, visit utdallas.edu/pardonourprogress.
Most events held on the UT Dallas campus are also accessible by DART bus public transportation. Take the DART Light Rail Red Line to the Bush Turnpike Station. Transfer to the UT Dallas Comet Cruiser, DART Route 883, for the nine-minute ride to campus during the hours of 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. Monday through Friday. Check the Route 883 schedule for limited Saturday service hours.
Media Contacts: Karah Hosek, UT Dallas, 972-883-4329, karah.hosek@utdallas.edu
or the Office of Media Relations, UT Dallas, (972) 883-2155, newscenter@utdallas.edu
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| The Lily Cai Dance Company integrates Chinese traditional dance with Western ballet and American modern dance. Sponsors of the company’s appearance and residency are the UT Dallas Confucius Institute and the Multicultural Center. (Photos by Marty Sohl) |
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