The dance Shiny Things for the Mind, choreographed by Gustavus Adolphus College visiting instructor Cynthia Gutierrez-Garner and performed by nine Gustavus students, earned the finale spot at the recent American College Dance Festival Association’s (ACDFA) North Central Regional Festival Gala.
The conference, held at the University of Minnesota, was attended by 23 colleges and universities from the Midwest to California. In all, more than 400 dancers participated in the 34 dances that were adjudicated during the March 19-22 festival.
The dancers performing in the festival were Siu On Auyeung, Brandon Buesgens, Christine Dornbusch, Shawn Grygo, Patrick Jeffrey, Ryan Mather, Mariah McGill, Jill Van Osdol, and Kayla Winter. Shiny Things for the Mind featured costume design by Angie Vo, lighting design by Terena Wilkens, and power point design by Micah Maatman.
The ACDFA conferences provide the unique opportunity for students and faculty to have their dance works adjudicated by a panel of nationally recognized dance professionals in an open and constructive forum. The process culminates with the presentation of pieces selected for their exemplary artistic quality in a gala concert. Shiny Things for the Mind, was not only selected to be in the gala concert, but to close the entire concert. These conferences are the primary means for college and university dance programs to perform outside their own academic setting and to be exposed to the diversity of the national college dance world.
This is the second year in a row the Gustavus dance program has been selected for exemplary artistic quality and included in the conference’s gala performance. With the national conference held every other year, selection to perform in the gala is the highest recognition the students, faculty, and dance program can receive.
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