“Where We Meet” – Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance Senior Concert

The Department of Dance at the University of Michigan School of Music, Theatre, and Dance presents Where We Meet, a Bachelor of Fine Arts dance concert at the Performance Studio Theatre. The concert features choreography and performance by graduating seniors Gabriella Boutiette, Rachel Dunklee, Sarah Gorman, Katherine Mitchell, and Abigail Widlak.

Gabriella Boutiette’s group work, Where do you sail when the sun surrenders?, is about the individual journey of finding the power of you. Although everyone’s journey in finding themselves, their purpose, and what they think the value they bring to the world manifests differently, it is not as rare an experience as one might think. One’s power can come from within and also from finding those people who share the same drive or passion for something. When the world goes quiet, who are the people you choose to surround yourself with? Who are you, and what is your power? Boutiette’s solo, Énoument, investigates the bittersweet feeling of finally reaching the answers you’ve sought, while grappling with the sorrow that you are unable to enlighten your past self.

Rachel Dunklee’s group, C’EST COMME ÇA, C’EST COMME ÇA, follows a group of people after a long week of working a corporate job winding down at a back-door poker game. Playing the game, they become less and less interested in the rivalry and the outcome and band together to throw the game away. Rachel’s solo work, Laugh Until The Sun Goes, is based on reflecting upon a past relationship. While the rain can be intense, it is also very meditative and symbolic of washing yourself clean of the past. The solo acts as the last look at the relationship before letting it go.

Sarah Gorman’s group piece, Weaving Hearts, focuses on the complex ways in which people are perceived and act differently in every interaction. The dance will explore the complexities and roles of relationships and their function in our everyday lives: lighthearted, carefree, and heartbreaking. Gorman’s piece will celebrate girlhood and friendship. Creating a quilt of vignettes to illuminate the colorful fabric of the human experience. Gorman’s solo Emendemus in Melius will illuminate overcoming challenges in life and how beautiful it is for one to persevere. The piece navigates the challenges of self-doubt, capturing moments of vulnerability that ultimately transform into strength. The solo will dive into the feeling of being held back, but wanting to, and eventually, being set free.

Katherine Mitchell’s group work, Pink Rubber Handlebars, explores a complex nostalgic state through relationships and interconnectedness, highlighting the thrilling freedom of youth. Incorporating film elements, the dancers evoke the essence of girlhood and growing up, capturing the bittersweet blend of longing and comfort that nostalgia brings. Mitchell’s solo In a Passing Moment draws from the quiet beauty of empathy and the impact of shared human experience. Rooted in personal memories and fleeting encounters, it reflects a profound sense of interconnectedness, embracing the unknowns we each carry.

Abby Widlak’s group work, Was, explores the idea of love and loss, how grief can impact not only a person’s day-to-day life, but worldview as well. With an original score by Ryan Ardelt the dancers take a journey between the five stages of grief on the non-linear road to acceptance. Widlak’s solo, Dear Abigail, addresses what it is like to never be yourself with any specific person. She adventures through the idea of what it means to wear different masks with different people. This work is coupled with an original score by Jason Zhang, a senior music composition and computer science major at U-M.