Toward the end of the academic year, the Knox College Dance Ensemble traditionally comes together to present its creative efforts in a Spring Concert, but it was canceled this year because of the COVID-19 pandemic. “While the students and faculty of the Dance Program were disappointed by the cancelation of [the Spring Concert]," said Associate Professor and Chair of Dance Jennifer Smith, "we did not let it keep us from creating!”

Two virtual performances have been produced, each using different methods: The Exquisite Corps Project and Dancing Alone Together. 

Inspired by a project initially created by Ohio State University Professor Mitchell Rose, The Exquisite Corps Project takes its structure from an old parlor game, Exquisite Corpse, also known as Consequences, which was a method for creative collaboration used by French surrealists. The format involved one artist generating some text or an image, then passing it on to the next artist who added to it.

In the case of the Knox College Dance Ensemble, each dancer generated 30 seconds of choreography and passed their material on to the next person, who added on to it. The end result is what appears to be a continuous dance piece.

Dancing Alone Together was created through long-distance collaboration. To make this piece, each of the four choreographers who worked with the Dance Ensemble during the winter term submitted a 30-second video clip of choreography. Then, each member worked with these video clips to create their own one-to-two-minute-long solo. As the director of the ensemble, Smith then edited the solos together into one piece.

Photo at top of page: Dance Ensemble Spring Concert 2016.