Orange Coast College’s Dance Department will present its annual Faculty Dance Concert on Thursday, October 24, and Friday, October 25, at 7:30 p.m. in the Robert B. Moore Theatre.
Under the direction of long-time faculty member José Costas, this year’s Faculty Dance Concert promises to be a diverse and captivating evening of dance. OCC students will showcase their exceptional skills in works choreographed by Coast’s outstanding dance faculty. The concert will feature a variety of genres, including hip-hop, contemporary, tap, Mexican Folklorico, Polynesian and modern dance, highlighting the cultural diversity of the department.
“Our dance concerts are the culmination of several performance classes, and an important part of any dancer’s education and training,” said OCC dance department chair Rachel Berman. “Our students work so hard in dance classes each day and in hours of rehearsal to “show off” their talents in our mainstage productions. There will be something for everyone at this exciting evening of dance!”
In total, nine dances will be presented on both evenings. Faculty members Rachel Berman, José Costas, Rosa Garcia, Zach Groenewold, Shana Menaker, Marru Mikaelian, Holly-Scheall-Mehling, and Linda Sohl-Ellison have each choreographed dances for the evening.
The concert will also feature a special performance of Zach Groenewold's work from the 2023 Faculty Dance Concert titled “we’re only as sick as our secrets.” This dynamic hip-hop work has been selected as a finalist in the Palm Desert Choreography Festival, where OCC students will perform on November 10 at the McCallum Theatre and compete for prize money against other pre-professional dance groups.
Tickets for the shows can be purchased at the OCC Tickets website: $20 for the general public, and $15 for OCC students and area high school students.