WHAT WE DO
This piece, Imag[(i)n]e, was a year-long collaborative investigation of what it means to be created in the image of God. Through research, dialogue, reflective writing, movement investigation, costume invention, creative technology maneuvering, and pure imagination this piece unfolded, revealing a reservoir of God’s creativity that can seep through our fragile human form. The piece begins with a movement narrator guiding the audience into a world of pure imagination and strives to challenge expectation, perspective, and innovation. After a visual display of surprising events that have been described as magical, the piece voices a deeper meaning through physical movement interwoven with following words.
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Imagination.
Another name for faith.
The greatest nation there is!
It is where the impossible is made possible.
It opens minds, reinvents, challenges complacency, colors, and creates.
Imagination is potential and power, authority over thought, and the key to creativity.
It allows us to become our best selves and co-create our reality.
Envision what could be…
Imagine for a moment…
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The visual display is surprising and stimulating and draws a viewer into the dance. The energy and concepts hook you in and the dancer intertwined with your own powerful imagination transforms your experience. This dance not only speaks to but relies on the root of God’s image and how he has molded us in his imagination.
WHO WE ARE
The Choreographer
Erin Scheiwe Rockwell has treasured her 10 years of teaching at Belhaven University and is grateful to celebrate this benchmark year with a trip to the National Conference of ACDA. It has been an ongoing goal of Erin’s to expose Belhaven students to the amazing experiences, memories, and opportunities that the ACDA conferences provide as well as bring expose others in the dance field to the compassion, artistry, and grace that Belhaven University students nurture and exude through their caring and attentive presence, sincere interpersonal interaction, professional approach, passionate performance, creative inquiry, and genuine love of others. Erin is truly honored to bring all this to a national platform through the performance of Imag[(I)n]e on the stage at the Kennedy Center.
The Performers
Stephanie Bonham is thrilled to be performing in DC this summer as she transitions between life as an undergrad student and life as a dance professional after graduation in May. She has loved her past four years at Belhaven, acquiring a broad range of dance skills including technique, performance, history, choreography, and technology integration and believes that Imag([I]n)e perfectly captures this holistic path of discovery. She cannot wait to invite the DC audience into this mysterious and thrilling adventure and carry the creative spirit of the piece into the next phase of her professional life
Senior Belhaven University dance major, Madison Bordelon, is thrilled to be invited, along with her fellow cast members of Erin Rockwell’s work, “Imag[(I)n]e”, to the Nation Conference of ACDA in DC at the renowned Kennedy Center. Madison is honored to have had her first experience at ACDA be the one that her and the rest of the cast are invited to participate in at nationals. She has enjoyed broadening her dance experience with presentations of choreography from artists all throughout the south, and it is a dream of Madison’s to be a part of an exciting journey to showcase everyone’s hard work, dedication, and spectacular talent at ACDA.
Kayla Gray is a sophomore dance major who is excited beyond belief to be dancing at the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C. Kayla is humbled by this once in a lifetime opportunity. Her hope is to capture the audience’s heart through the movement and meaning of the piece. Kayla is looking forward to sharing her artistry at the ACDA conference in June and is looking forward to sharing this experience with her Belhaven dance family.
Katherine Koon is very excited at the chance to reunite with her fellow cast members in D.C. after graduating with her BFA in dance in May. With this being her second time performing at the National Festival she once again is looking forward to the opportunity to represent Belhaven with a unique work as well as view and be inspired by the many other works being presented. She is excited to be back in our nation’s capital and hopes that this time she will leave without a sunburn.
Dance artist, Lydia Mathis, has spent the last 3 years of her dance training at Belhaven University expanding her understanding of choreography, technique, and artistry, as well as studying other fields such as psychology and visual arts. Performing in Imag[(I)n]e has allowed her to engage herself more artistically in concert dance with this integrated work which incorporates dance, technology, and visual display. She is thrilled to be able to share this experience with the present audience at nationals. Mathis plans to study psychology and dance overseas after graduation as she is passionate about how art impacts others. She excited to see how this experience informs her artistic process after school.
Alisa Nipp, a junior dance major at Belhaven University, has had the honor of collaborating in the creation process and performing in Imag[(I)n]e. She looks forward to dancing at the Kennedy Center, celebrating innovative art in dance from all over the nation, and spreading Christ’s light and love in the dance community. Because of her love to travel, Alisa is excited to explore the capital of the United States.
In 2016 Regine Pieters was blessed with the opportunity to represent Belhaven University at the national ACDA conference in Washington DC. Therefore it was quite a surprise when she found out that she gets to experience this once more. She graduated with a BFA this Spring and is therefore excited to experience her last performance with her peers this summer at the Kennedy Center. Regine is thrilled to connect with other college dancers and choreographers in the nation’s capital.
Anna Rhodes is a junior dance major who is honored to have the opportunity to travel to Washington D.C. with her fellow students and faculty this summer.. She is passionate about sharing the power of community, grace, and truth through the medium of dance. The experience of being a part of Imag[(I)n]e has taught Anna more about the image in which God has made each person on this earth, and its consequent beauty, complexity, and creativity. She is excited to participate at the ACDA Nationals and in the sharing of movement, ideas, and stories.
Josh Schaeffer has been a dance major at Belhaven University for the past three years, during which he has had the opportunity to perform and work with amazing choreographers and teachers, including the work “Imag[(I)n]e” created by Erin Rockwell. While a part of this work, Schaeffer has enjoyed many new experiences related to the dance, including the use of integrated technology and innovative costuming designed by Chelsey Schuller. Schaeffer is buzzing with anticipation at having the chance to perform with the cast of this amazingly creative work this June, and can not wait for Nationals to begin!
Betsie Stevens is excited to pursue her professional dance career in Hartford, Connecticut with contemporary ballet company Vivid Ballet after graduating with her BFA in Dance this May. She was honored to experience and be able to contribute to the year long creation of Imag[(I)n]e with the imaginative creativity and intriguing dialogue between every cast member. Betsie is eager to tour DC for the first time and culminate her time at Belhaven by representing the University on stage at the Kennedy Center with her dear friends.
Victoria Tomes, a junior dance major at Belhaven University, is thankful for the opportunity she has had to invest in and learn from the creation of Imag[(i)n]e this past year. Participating in this process has broadened her vision for integration of various mediums to explore her own hypotheses in regards to the impact of art and movement, as well as taught her the importance of intentionality when approaching her own work. She looks forward to performing this work alongside her peers at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC and experiencing the other work presented from around the nation.
Jenna Werner is a junior dance major who has been honored to take part in the creation and performance of Imagine this semester. The experience has opened her mind to the endless possibilities of collaboration in concert dance. She truly loves how the piece reaches beyond its own boundaries to touch those who may not even understand the full intention of the work. Jenna looks forward to sharing this creative and inspiring work at the Kennedy Center alongside her incredible cast-mates.