Wittenberg University

Wittenberg University Presents Collaborative Performance

SPRINGFIELD, Ohio - Dancer and choreographer Ligia Pinheiro, assistant professor of theatre and dance, and pianists Christopher Durrenberger, assistant professor of music, and wife Peng-Hsin Chen have teamed up to present "An Evening of Music and Dance," at 8 p.m. May 3 and 5, at Chakeres Memorial Theatre on the Wittenberg University campus.

This hour-long collaborative endeavor will feature choreographed dances performed by Pinheiro to the music of J.S. Bach, Claude Debussy and Johannes Brahms. The choreography stems from Pinherio's research in baroque dance, Laban movement theory and the work of Isadora Duncan, who is considered the founder of modern dance.

"Dance is not dependent on music, and music should not be secondary to the dance," Pinheiro explained, noting that by not using recorded music the trio could adjust tempos and tailor the program to meet their specific needs. "I believe that this experience will be special for the dancers and the musicians because we are not confined to the specific length of music," Pinheiro said. "In this one-of-a-kind act, the audience will also be able to see both art forms live and in their purest form," Durrenberger added. In addition, Pinheiro hopes that the collaborative performance will afford students in both disciplines, as well as those in attendance, the opportunity to see and understand how closely related music and dance are, and how they both benefit from what each has to offer.

Free and open to the public, the event marks the second time Durrenberger and Pinheiro have worked together. The first occurred in 2001 when the duo collaborated on a concert featuring the waltzes of Brahms.