WMU News

Nelson videodance premieres Oct. 2

Oct. 1, 2001

KALAMAZOO -- "...and down will come baby...," a videodance created by Nina Nelson, chair of the WMU Department of Dance, will premiere on, Oct. 2, in the Dalton Center Lecture Hall. The showing will begin at 8 p.m. and is free and open to the public.

This videodance, produced in collaboration with WMU's Kevin Abbott and freelance video artist Shawn Coyle, is based on the concert dance of the same name that was choreographed by Nelson in 1999. The work is a surreal exploration of a young woman's experience conception, pregnancy, birth and motherhood. It is the second videodance Nelson has created. The first, "Rush: A Videodance," was included in the Dance on Camera Festival 2001 in New York City.

Nelson's choreography has been seen in Peru and throughout the United States, and has been recognized by the Great Lakes Regional American College Dance Festival for excellence in choreography and performance. Her creative work has been supported by such agencies as the Ohio Arts Council, the Arts Council of Greater Kalamazoo (for the Michigan Council for the Arts and Cultural Affairs), and Western Michigan University. This activity is supported by ArtServe Michigan in conjunction with The Michigan Council for the Arts and Cultural Affairs.

Kevin Abbott, the videodance's editor and creator of special effects, is currently manager of media production at Western Michigan University. He has extensive experience with 3-D animation, motion graphics, and interactive media. Shawn Coyle, artistic collaborator on the project,
is an independent video artist in San Francisco.

For more information contact Nina Nelson at (616) 387-5833.


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