Deno Dance Company
Annual Concert 2024
Saturday, September 28th 7:30-9:00PM
Program Information
Title: Toddlers & Tutus
Choreography: Nina Deno and cast
Dancers: Kayla Marvel, Elizabeth O’Brien, Faythe Rush, Rachel Yurek
Music: “Fluffing a Duck” and “Monkeys Spinning Monkeys” by Kevin MacLeod and “Music Box Dancer” by Frank Mills
Costume and Lighting Design: Nina Deno
Program Note: A silly ode to our very first dance recital. Who doesn’t love a fluffy tutu?
Title: Dust to Dust
Choreography: Andrea Ridge
Dancers: Christy Carr and Bird Thurman
Music: “A Calling Home” by Amy McDonald
Costume and Lighting Design: Andrea Ridge
Title: Dancing Through Life
Choreography: Rachel Yurek
Dancers: Rachel Yurek
Music: Edited compilation of “I Don’t Smoke” by Mythical Score Society, Love Theme from “Romeo and Juliet” by Henry Mancini, “Sthlm Sunset” by Ehrling and “Atlantic” by Sleeping at Last
Costume and Lighting Design: Rachel Yurek
Program Note: My dance journey started at Purdue when I joined the Latin & Ballroom Dance Team. After college, I had to stop dancing because I was missing two crucial components for ballroom: money and a dance partner. Several years later, I learned that there were adult-only ballet, jazz, and modern dance classes being taught in Lafayette. I missed dancing, so I quickly signed up for ballet. That was quickly followed by jazz and modern classes. It wasn’t until I took modern that I realized a part of my soul which was dormant had come back to life. Dance in any form brings me so much joy. It is a core part of who I am and always will be.
Title: fish, stand/slap!
Choreography: Sara Satterly
Dancers: Deborah Kull and Sara Satterly (Greater Lafayette Dance Collective)
Original Sound: Corey Guilford
Costume and Lighting Design: Deborah Kull and Sara Satterly
Title: Painting Gravity
Choreography: Andrea Ridge
Dancers: Brianna Johnston, Andrea Ridge, Rachel Yurek
Music: “Tranformations” by Sleeping at Last and “Grey Cloud Lullaby” by Slow Meadow
Costume and Lighting Design: Andrea Ridge
INTERMISSION (10 Minutes)
Title: Humanity’s Haunting
Choreography: Nina Deno and cast
Dancers: Christy Carr, Brianna Johnston, Kayla Marvel, Elizabeth O’Brien, Andrea Ridge, Faythe Rush, Bird Thurman, Rachel Yurek
Original Sound Design: Victoria Bloom
Costume and Lighting Design: Nina Deno
Title: Distracted Dancing
Choreography: Renee Murray
Dancer: Renee Murray (Dance faculty from Purdue University Dance Division)
Music: circuli stretched.wav by thatjeffcarter -- https://freesound.org/s/174782/ -- License: Attribution 4.0
Costume and Lighting Design: Renee Murray
Program Note: Deno Dance Company would like to thank to Purdue University Dance Division Faculty, Renee Murray, for contributing ‘Distracted Dancing’ to this performance.
Title: “You’re too [adjective] to be [mental health condition]”
Choreography: Nina Deno, Brianna Johnston, Rachel Yurek
Dancers: Brianna Johnston and Rachel Yurek
Music: “Ritual, Reverence, and Confessions'“ by Michael Wall
Costume and Lighting Design: Nina Deno
Program Note: Women of all ages and backgrounds are constantly being judged and silently questioned about their mental state. This piece explores feminine experiences with various states of mental health that continue to face stigma. The truth is that we build a convincing facade to shield the reality of mental health struggles. What happens when those barriers are broken? This piece was developed as part of National Choreography Month (NaChMo) 2024 and recently debuted at the annual NACHMO show in Louisville, KY.
Title: MERDE! A kick on the butt and a kiss on the cheek
Choreography: Nina Deno
Dancers: Christy Carr, Kayla Marvel, Elizabeth O’Brien, Andrea Ridge, Faythe Rush, Bird Thurman
Music: “Hidden Beauty” by Conti Music
Costume and Lighting Design: Nina Deno
Program Note: This piece is dedicated to the memory of Michele Rusinko, former Department Chair of Theatre & Dance at Gustavus Adolphus College. May your strength, love of dance, and mission to build a genuinely supportive dance community live on. “You can do it like it’s a great weight on you, or you can do it like it’s part of the dance.” - Ram Dass