SRU hosting 60 x 60 x 60 concert Sept. 23 as dance, music and painting meet

The Slippery Rock University Dance Department is hosting its 60 x 60 x 60 dance concert at 7:30 p.m., Sept. 23, in Swope Music Hall.

Sept. 17, 2021

SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. — The first dance concert of the year at Slippery Rock University may have a title fit for a carpenter's tape measure, but "60 x 60 x 60" has a little something for everyone. The SRU Dance Department will present its 60 x 60 x 60 dance concert, 7:30 p.m., Sept. 23, at Swope Music Hall, featuring 60 dance performances to 60 pieces of music that are 60 seconds long. Tickets are $2 and can be purchased at the door on the evening of the concert.

"What makes this a good experience for the audience is every piece is different and (it) won't lose your attention because it changes every minute," said Halle Angelo, a senior dual communication and dance major from Indiana, who is performing and providing technical support for the event. "One piece can have ambient sounds and be slow moving and then the next one might be traffic noises and be very technical."

   Angelo

The annual 60 x 60 x 60 concert includes an interdisciplinary element, and for this year's event the Dance Department invited art students to contribute different paintings that will be projected onto the dancers and the performance area.

"We are thrilled to have the Art Department collaborate with us on yet another concert," said Andy Hasenpflug, SRU dance musician and director of the concert. "The interdisciplinary nature of the 60 x 60 x 60 concert is a wonderful way to showcase how departments in the arts can work together to create an exciting event." 

The paintings for the concert were created by 30 students from a studio painting class taught last semester by Heather Hertel, professor of art. The paintings range from abstracts and landscapes to specific objects, such as an eyeball or a cube.

The music and sounds can also be out of the ordinary, such as one spoken-word soundtrack that Angelo found amusing.

"There's one with a guy repeating that he likes doughnuts, so it's very weird but fun," Angelo said. "(As performers and choreographers), we don't get to pick the music. Andy assigns the music to us in advance and we have to create (a performance)."

Although there are 60 individual pieces, some are solo and some are group performances and a few students are participating in multiple dances. In all, there are more than 50 students who are performing and/or choreographing, in addition to the contributions of 30 visual artists.

"I love the collaborative aspect," Angelo said. "Having other forms of art involved is challenging but it's also helpful because it sparks different interest. As choreographers, sometimes we get stuck, so being able to look at another form of art or music can inspire different creative movement."

SRU students who are participating in the 60 x 60 x 60 concert as performers and choreographers are:

• Vanessa Adams, a senior dual dance and exercise science major from New Kensington.
• Taylor Andrekanic, a senior dual dance and communication major from White Oak.
• Halle Angelo, a senior dual dance and communication major from Indiana.
• Laura Ardner, a senior dance major from York.
• Olivia Blankenship, a sophomore dance major from Waterville.
• Kali Booker, a junior dual dance and communication major from New Castle.
• Erin Brod, a junior dance major from Medina, Ohio.
• Ashlin Broody-Walega, a junior dance major from Pringle.
• Jaidin Broody-Walega, a sophomore dance major from Pringle.
• Auriana Carrington, a junior dance major from Venetia.
• Ilisa Chasser, a senior dual early childhood education and dance major from Lancaster.
• Alicea Chludzinski, a junior dance major from Erie.
• Hannah Corey, a senior dual dance and exercise science major from Sarver.
• Naomi Costanza, a junior acting major from Cranberry Township.
• Jade Daniels, a senior dance major from Hurricane, West Virginia.
• Elise Dawson, a sophomore dance major from Hershey.
• Anna DeRubeis, a senior dual early childhood education and dance major from Altoona
• Gabrielle Dunn, a sophomore dual dance and communication major from Bethel Park
• Morghan Dyer, a senior dual early childhood education and dance major from Stow, Ohio.
• Kathryn Eberhart, a junior dual dance and early childhood education major from Archibald.
• Kaitlyn Falce, a senior dual dance and exercise science major from Pittsburgh.
• Shawn Faraoni a, a sophomore acting major from Pittsburgh.
• Olivia Farmerie, a sophomore dual dance and exercise science major from Butler.
• Sydney Forbes, a sophomore dance major from Blooming Glen.
• Kaitlin Halushka, a sophomore dance major from Pittsburgh.
• Ella Hickey, a senior music therapy major from Hummelstown.
• Derek Jenkins, a sophomore dance major from New Kensington.
• Grace Larson, a junior dance major from Sugar Grove.
• Sarah Leslie, a sophomore dual political science and dance major from Butler.
• Sydney Lewis, a sophomore dual dance and exercise science major from Altoona.
• Faythe Lewis, a senior dance major from Tipton.
• Katelyn Loss, a senior acting major from Montoursville.
• Rachel Male, a junior dance major from Columbia.
• Courtney Misterka, a junior dual dance and early childhood education major from Pittsburgh.
• Ericka Morton, a sophomore dance major from Pittsburgh.
• Airiann Page, a senior dual dance and exercise science major from Trafford.
• Gabrielle Pfeifer, a sophomore dance major from Stevensville, Maryland.
• Courtney Pier, a senior recreational therapy major from Blandburg.
• Kelvin Rodriguez, a senior dance major from York.
• Austin Shaffer, a sophomore dance major from Granville, Ohio.
• Olivia Shirley, a senior dual dance and psychology major from New Kensington.
• Kaylee Smith, a junior dance major from Bridgeport, West Virginia.
• Skylar Smith, a senior dance major from Walworth, New York.
• Zsuzsanna Smith, a junior dual dance and economics major from Mechanicsburg.
• Bethany Stravato, a senior dual dance and interdisciplinary programs major from Ashville, New York
• Hayden Summers, a sophomore dance major from Charleston, West Virginia.
• Elena Turner, a senior dance major from Imperial.
• Bailey Turner, a senior dual dance and psychology major from McClellandtown.
• Catherine Wheeler, a junior dance major from Haskell, New Jersey.
• Kaitlin Yankovich, a senior dance major from Ridgway.

For more information about dance programs at SRU, visit the Dance Department webpage.

MEDIA CONTACT: Justin Zackal | 724.738.4854  | justin.zackal@sru.edu