× Upcoming Events Past Events
Image for Dance Gala
Dance Gala
March 27 – 28, 2025
ABOUT THE SHOW

Student Dance Gala is a collection of dance pieces choreographed, designed, and performed by the students of the Dance program.

SHOW ORDER
Katey Mitchell “Heat Wave The Remix”

Emma Sutt “Waiting”

Xan Barrell “ Journey”

Millie Miles “Influences”

Intermission

Joy Echols “Strang(er)”

Ally Ruble “Strain”

Natalie and Morgan “Pois et Carotte”

Rylee Mallicoat “My body is a cage.”
DANCE PIECES
Heat Wave (The Remix)

Choreographer
Katey Mitchell

Music
("Fever" by Beyonce / "Burning Up" by Jessie J ) Remix by Katey Mitchell

Cast List
Rhyan Helms
Rylee Mallicoat
Maya Siciliano
Laci Rose
Jakhia Smith
Miranda Laurent
Emma Cathcart
Naomi Laurent
Taylor Tenniswood
Special guest: Katey Mitchell

GENRE
Jazz

Concept
"The dance is about the line between sensual and sexy. Anything danced well in this movement style gets the audience a little hot like a heat wave. The temperature of this dance is '...hot in the kitchen like 1000 degrees.'"
“Waiting”

Choreographer
Emma Sutt

Music
"࿃ूੂ࿃ूੂੂ࿃ूੂOOOOOOOOOOOO ̟̞̝̜̙̘̗̖҉̵̴̨̧̢̡̼̻̺̹̳̲̱̰̯̮̭̬̫̪̩̦̥̤̣̠҈͈͇͉͍͎͓͔͕͖͙͚͜͢͢͢͢͢͢͢͢͢͢͢͢͢͢ͅ ooooooooo"
by ⣎⡇ꉺლ༽இ•̛)ྀ◞ ༎ຶ ༽ৣৢ؞ৢ؞ؖ ꉺლ

Cast List
Mesha Dockery
Elizabeth Woods
Emma Sutt

Genre
Contemporary

Concept
"This piece discusses the theme of impatience and how it affects our perception of the world. The dancers show how their impatience each leads them differently. The overall feeling: quite tense and antsy at times, with small sporadic movements."
Journey

Choreographer
Xan Barrell

Music
"Seasons" by Miles Miller and Caleb Sparks

Cast List
Xan Barrell

Genre
Contemporary

Concept
"Journey is about struggling through life. Getting stuck in your peril. Until you drag yourself out because hope leads a better life."
Influences

Choreographer
Millie Miles

Music
“Alright”) by Kendrick Lamar / “Brother (Clean)” by Matt Corby

Cast List
Dravyn Beasley
Anna Conar
Shaniece Henderson
Taylor Tenniswood
Millie Miles

Genre
Contemporary

Concept
"The dance centers around the concept of grappling with the influences in one’s life and recognizing the consequences of succumbing to those influences, as well as the influences one has on their surroundings. The concept is heavily inspired by the music's monologue, performed by Kendrick Lamar."
strange(r)

Choreographer
Joy Echols

Music
“Pt. 1” by Carlos Cipa / "Poem" by Joy Echols

Cast List
Emma Sutt
Neila Hudson
Maggie Gilchrist
Abby Wilkins

Genre
Contemporary

Concept
“What does it mean to be strangers? To see past the shells we live in, deep into the softness beneath. To give and receive in the same breath. To hold and be held unwaveringly. To let someone see exactly what lies behind the delicately woven facade that we hold on to so tightly... always fearful to let go”
Strain

Choreographer
Ally Ruble

Music
"Falaise" by Floating Points

Cast List
Ally Ruble

Genre
Contemporary

Concept
"Strain - a force tending to pull or stretch something to a extreme and 
damaging degree; a severe demand on the strength or abilities 
of someone or something."
Pois et Carotte

Choreographer
Natalie McCutcheon and Morgan Hayes

Music
"Peas N Carrots" by Kudo

Cast List
Shaniece Henderson
Anna Conar
Abby Wilkins
Emma Pickett
Natalie McCutcheon
Morgan Hayes

Genre
Contemporary

Concept
"Dancing for the fun of dance itself."
My body is a cage.

Choreographer
Rylee Mallicoat

Music
“My Body Is a Cage” by Peter Gabriel

Cast List
Annsley Vaughn
Emma Cathcart
Emma Pickett
Laci Rose
Layla Bradford
Mesha Dockery
Mary Dooley
Maya Siciliano
Rhyan Helms

Genre
Contemporary

Concept
"'My Body is a Cage' explores the physical and mental challenges dancers encounter. The title itself suggests a struggle where the body feels like a constraint, limiting the dancer's full expression. Physically, dancers often face injuries, fatigue, and the rigorous demands of training, which can feel like their body is trapping them. Mentally, they deal with pressure, self-doubt, and the pursuit of perfection, which can create a sense of being caged by their own thoughts and emotions. The dance uses movements that depict these struggles, showing the tension between the desire to break free and the limitations imposed by both the body and mind."
ARTISTIC TEAM
Artistic Director / Production Coordinator
Millie Miles

Choreographers
Millie Miles
Ally Ruble
Joy Echols
Kathleen (Katey) Mitchell
Morgan Hayes & Natalie McCutcheon
Emma Sutt
Xan Barrell
Rylee Mallicoat

Lead Lighting Designer
Logan Purcell

Co-Lighting Designer(s)
Allayney Corcoran
Josh Leslie

Sound Engineer
Violet Hendricks
PRODUCTION TEAM
Stage Manager
Cameron Seymour

ASM(s)
Joy Donalies
Regan Hudson

Wardrobe Head
Bailey Dorflinger-Slee

Box Office Manager
David Boyer

Production Manager
John Underwood
FACULTY ADVISORS
Dance Faculty Advisor(s)
Jade Treadwell
Kim Holt
Jee Ahn
Alex Winer

Stage Management Faculty Advisor
Kate Goodwin

Costume Design Faculty Advisor
Trish Clark

Lighting Design Faculty advisor
Darren E. Levin

Scenic Design Faculty Advisor
Scott Boyd

Technical Direction Faculty Advisor
Scott McElheney

Sound Design Faculty Advisor
Kevin O'Donnell

Scene Shop Supervisor
Josh Bennett

Costume Shop Supervisor
Katie Sellers
SPECIAL THANKS

Thank you, Ascend Federal Credit Union, for sponsoring MTSU Arts.

MTSU DANCE DONATIONS

UPCOMING SHOWS

2025-2026 SEASON

KENNEDY CENTER

 

The Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival, part of the
Rubenstein Arts Access Program, is generously funded by
David and Alice Rubenstein.

Special thanks to The Harold and Mimi Steinberg Charitable Trust for supporting the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts' Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival.

Additional support is provided by The Honorable Stuart Bernstein and Wilma E. Bernstein; the Dr. Gerald and Paula McNichols Foundation; and Beatrice and Anthony Welters and the AnBryce Foundation.

KCACTF is part of JFKC: A Centennial Celebration of John F. Kennedy, inspired by five enduring Ideals often ascribed to JFK: Courage, Freedom, Justice, Service, and Gratitude. Support for JKFC: A Centennial Celebration of John F. Kennedy is provided by Ambassador Elizabeth Bagley, Chevron, the Blanche and Irving Laurie Foundation, and Target.

Kennedy Center education and related artistic programming is made possible through the generosity of the National Committee for the Performing Arts and the President's Advisory Committee on the Arts. This production Is entered In the Kennedy Center American College Theater
Festival (KCACTF). The aims of this national theater education program are to identity and promote quality in college-level theater production. To this end, each production entered is eligible for a response by a regional KCACTF representative, and selected students and faculty are invited to participate in KCACTF programs involving scholarships. internships, grants, and awards for actors, directors, dramaturgs, playwrights, designers, stage managers and critics at both the regional and national levels.

Productions entered on the Participating level are eligible for invitation to the KCACTF regional festival and may also be considered for national awards recognizing outstanding achievement In production, design, direction and performance.

By entering this production, our theater department is sharing in the KCACTF goals to recognize. reward. and celebrate the exemplary work produced in college and university theaters across the nation.