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The Fall Dance Happening will take place Wednesday, Oct. 26, through Friday, Oct. 28, at The University of Tampa, featuring popular music and student dancers from all parts of the University community. The show will begin each night at 8 p.m. in Falk Theatre at 428 W. Kennedy Blvd. The event is free and open to the public; no tickets or reservations are required.

Dance Happening will feature choreography and performances by UT students. Since the focus of UT’s dance major is preparing students to teach, faculty encourage students to uniquely express themselves, while also realizing that many of them will graduate and begin teaching in local dance studios. Therefore, they will also work with the styles of jazz, hip-hop and tap; not just ballet and modern, making the program very diverse.

“The Dance Happening is a transformative experience for many of our students, both choreographers and dancers,” says Susannah LeMarquand, director of the dance program and assistant professor of dance. “They work together to bring an abstract concept into realty through the creativity of dance and movement, by applying what they are learning in their pedagogy classes. I think everyone will find something that they can really enjoy in this show — it is some of the best student work ever.”

All of the pieces cover a multitude of themes, and the students worked with faculty mentors to develop their choreography throughout the rehearsal process. This semester, about 60 students will participate in all three performances. This year’s pieces vary from concepts about toxic positivity, the art of deception and the “poshness” of the 1960s.

For more information, contact LeMarquand at slemarquand@ut.edu or (813) 257-6322.