It’s my pleasure to welcome you to our MFA Dance Thesis Concert at the UB Center for the Arts. Thank you for sharing your evening with us. Our three-year MFA in Dance is both a hub and an incubator of ideas in motion, with curriculum and research experiences tailored to the individual student’s interdisciplinary interests to develop a rich, multimodal research practice. With close faculty mentorship and numerous opportunities to create and show work, MFA Dance students at UB cultivate the knowledge and skills necessary to become the next generation of innovative dance makers, arts researchers, leaders, advocates, teaching-artists, and artist-scholars.

In partial fulfillment of MFA Dance degree requirements, two choreographers of this next generation are sharing the culmination of their Thesis Project with you tonight: Natasha McCandless and Hannah Walter.

During her time at UB, Natasha has received awards and honors including an Excellence in Teaching Award for Graduate Teaching Assistants, a Humanities New York Public Humanities Grant, a UB Social Impact Fellowship, the Bruce Kirle Award from the Music Theatre Dance Association, and the Judge's Choice Award in the UB Art of Research Competition. She has presented at the Association for Theatre in Higher Education (ATHE) national conference and the American College Dance Association Northeast Regional Conference. Her upcoming article, “Made of Water: Emotion and Touch in Pedagogical Spaces” will be published in the inaugural Music Theatre Dance Journal. Natasha has choreographed for department productions including Rogers & Hammerstein's Cinderella (Co-Choreographer with Faculty Director James Beaudry), Twelfth Night, Emerging Choreographers Showcase, the Informal ChoreoLab Showing (Co-Director in 2022; Director in 2023), and the MFA Dance Showcase (Co-Director in 2023). Additionally, regional performances include Guys & Dolls at MusicalFare Theatre (Ensemble) and Cabaret at Second Generation Theatre (Helga/Dance Captain). Her secondary area of research is Educational Psychology.

Hannah is a 3x U.S. and 7x Canadian Rhythmic Gymnastics National Team Member, Jr. Olympic Team Member, 2012 London Olympic Team Member, and long listed for the 2021 Tokyo Olympic Games. She is a 5x Athlete Representative for Gymnastics Canada-Ontario Committee and is an international gymnastics judge. She is the recipient of UB's MFA Dance Fellowship, Women's Sports Foundation Grant, and 3x recipient of the U.S. Coast Guard MA Grant. She graduated top of her class at the U.S. Coast Guard Academy’s Officer’s School. As an active and reserve military member she is a recurring figure/presence for UB Veteran Services. She has been activated on three deployments while being a graduate student at UB and will be activated on a fourth following graduation. She has performed, choreographed, and presented at events inclusive, but not limited to: Art in the Open, ChoreoLab, MFA Dance Showcase (2023 Co-Director), Stars & Stripes International, EliteCanada, and American College Dance Association Northeast Regional Conference. Her secondary areas of research include Aerial Circus Arts and Military Science.

Natasha and Hannah demonstrate through their creative research, teaching, and service the innovation and excellence that characterize graduate education in Theatre and Dance at UB, a flagship University of the State of New York.

I’m thrilled to celebrate the MFA Class of 2024 with you this evening. Enjoy the show!

-Anne Burnidge, Founding Director of MFA Dance Program

hers for the reading
Sponsored by a Humanities New York Public Humanities Grant. 

Direction, Concept, Script: Natasha McCandless

Choreography: Natasha McCandless, with improvisations by the dancers
Dancers: Abby Cass, Mia Dischiavo, Vic Oshman-Bruce, Lauren Saab, Violet Schraver
Sound Design: Alicia Campbell
Set, Props, and Paint Design: Jennifer Lynn Carter
Carpenty: John Rickus
Costumes: Many thanks to Zechariah Saenz and the UB Costume Shop.

Notes: "From that moment on, the world was hers for the reading. She would never be lonely again." - Betty Smith

Natasha’s thesis research focuses on choreographic values of storytelling and worldbuilding, as well as on theories of affect, embodiment, and care with a goal of fostering wellness for dancers in the pedagogical space of rehearsal.

Thank you to:
THD faculty, especially my thesis committee: Chanon Judson (Chair), Dr. Ariel Nereson, and James Beaudry. My cast and collaborators. Family, friends, and Brian. Mentors Michele Dunleavy and Sarah Flynn, for shaping me into the artist and educator I am today. Everyone who has listened to an endless voice memo or read multiple drafts of papers/applications/PowerPoints… You know who you are. Thank you.

~15-Minute Intermission~

AGON
*agon [ag-ohn, -on, ah-gohn] ἀγών (noun): a debate between opposing forces*

Retrograde Amnesia-The Vortex Infusion
This work is dedicated to our Country’s unsung Heroes.
All Gave Some
Some Gave All

Direction & Concept:
Lieutenant Junior Grade Hannah Walter
Officer of the United States Coast Guard
Choreography: Hannah Walter in collaboration with dancers
Dancers: Sarah Chowaniec, Erinn Cosgrove, Selena Pereyra, Adriana Vetcha, Hannah Walter
Music: “Rain, in Your Black Eyes” by Ezio Bosso
“Smiles For Y” by Ezio Bosso
“The Grotto” by AudioMachine
“And All the Spirals of the World” by Felicia Atkinson & Jefre Cantu
“Clouds, The Mind on the (Re)Wind” by Ezio Bosso
“Patriotic Feeling” by MaxKoMusic
Videographer: Alex Reiser
Voice Over Engineer: Tobias Pfluke
Voice Over Talent: Tobias Pfluke, Alex Reiser
Architectural & Costume Design: Hannah Walter
Design Consultant & Ground Plan: Andrew DG Hunt
Seamstress: Gail Walter

Choreographer Note: The work you are about to see is an adaptation inspired by the Missing Man Table Ceremony. While artistic and historical license has been taken, I believe that this work is true to the essence, value, and integrity of a ceremony that is a cornerstone of the honoring of our military members worldwide.

Special thanks to my Thesis Committee Kerry Ring (Chair), Melanie Aceto, and Jeanne Fornarola. Many thanks for support and collaboration from Thomas Ralabate, Kathleen Golde, Lieutenant Colonel Chad Gosney, Daniel Ryan, Captain Mark Kuperman, Captain Regina Adams, Commander Elisabeth Dorrian, Lieutenant Commander Katharine Howes, Senior Chief Jeffrey Walter, UB Veteran Services, UB Army ROTC, SUNY Fredonia, Buffalo Navy Reserve Center, 4^th Marine Division/25^th Marine Regiment 1^st Battalion Charlie Company, Niagara Falls 914^th Air Wing Honor Guard, Franca VNT, Golde Arts, LLC, and WNY Heroes, Inc.

Thesis Advisors: Chanon Judson and Kerry Ring
Costume Shop Manager: Zechariah Saenz
Assistant Costume Shop Manager: Cindy Darling
Props Warehouse Manager: Lukmaan Arif
Contributing Technician: Nicholas Quinn
Concert Videographer: Rebekah Bono
Production Photographer: Ken Smith
Special thanks to the Design and Technology student cohort.

Department Chair: Eero Laine
Associate Chair/Producing Director: Lynne Koscielniak
Production Manager: Rick Haug
Assistant Production Manager: Ally Hasselback
Department Administrators: R. Macklin Olszewski, Veronica Sedota
Senior Staff Assistant: Rob Falgiano
Administrative Assistant: Kristin Mann

The UB Department of Theatre and Dance is a proud member of the UB College of Arts and Sciences.

With a firm commitment to the advancement of creative research, experiential learning, and community encouragement, the UBTHD 2023-2024 Production Season is administered by the Department of Theatre and Dance. We acknowledge the full faculty and staff for their part in preparing students for work on stage and behind the scenes.

We thank UB Center for the Arts for their support in making these productions possible.

UB Theatre and Dance wishes to acknowledge the generous continued philanthropic support of Fox Run at Orchard Park, an official contributing sponsor of the UBTHD 2023-2024 season.

Our season of programming is also made possible by ticket purchases and donations from patrons like you. To further support our work and acknowledge the upcoming 50th Anniversary of Zodiaque Dance Company, please join our Celebration Rising donor wall. Gifts to Celebration Rising expand opportunities for students to engage with guest artists and new theater technology during our 24-25 gala season.