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Wednesday, October 21, 2020 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon
Wattenburg strives to keep the arts alive at college
By Ceili Cornelius
Correspondent
Lauren Wattenburg is
helping to keep the perform-
ing arts alive during a time
when live performances are
not possible.
This Thursday, she will
participate in virtual perfor-
mances put on by Utah Ballet
and the University of Utah
School of Dance.
Wattenburg 4 2017
Sisters High School gradu-
ate 4 is a senior at the
University of Utah pursuing
her bachelor9s degree in fine
arts in ballet, as well as doing
prerequisite courses for phys-
ical therapy.
This past year, her live-
lihood and way of life has
shifted due to the COVID-
19 pandemic; she is no lon-
ger able to perform or have a
normal studio life.
<The entire dance world
has had to adapt because we
have been taken out of our
studios and dancing from
kitchens and living rooms
and we have to get creative to
keep moving and training,=
said Wattenburg.
In March, Wattenburg
returned home to Sisters and
finished her junior year from
home, using her living room
and kitchen as her dance
studio.
Virtual classes and inten-
sives were made available
from all over the world
over the summer for danc-
ers. Wattenburg completed
a virtual summer intensive
with Alonzo King9s LINES
Ballet, a contemporary bal-
let company based out of San
Francisco.
<We were all sort of out of
our element, not being in the
studio surrounded by people
as usual in the dance world,=
she said.
For her senior year, she
is back at the University
of Utah with her academic
classes all online. Her dance
classes are now in person
with modifications and mask
wearing and social distancing
in class.
<It has been really nice to
be able to be back in the stu-
dio for classes, even with the
modifications,= she said.
Wattenburg and her
peers in dance are putting
on virtual live performances
streaming from the Marriott
Center for Dance Theater in
Utah. Every year, the School
of Dance at University of
Utah puts on a set of choreo-
graphed performances with a
live audience, but this year,
they will be doing the same
type of performance with a
virtual audience watching on
a livestream.
The event was made pos-
sible by the School of Dance
faculty striving to give their
dancers the opportunity to
perform.
<They decided to go with
doing virtual performances
and to adapt to the situation
as best as they can and get
us to still have these perfor-
mances,= said Wattenburg.
The performance will
consist of four unique pieces,
all with original choreogra-
phy by faculty. The shows
run for three nights, with all
four pieces featured each
night.
Wattenburg is perform-
ing in the third piece, entitled
<Maybe Tomorrow,= choreo-
graphed by professor Melissa
Bobick.
<The performance is a
reflection on thoughts and
feelings during this immense
uprooting of reality and a
chance to experience that
reality,= said Wattenburg.
Wattenburg and four of
her peers will be perform-
ing live on stage, wearing
masks and livestreaming the
performance out to audience
participants.
The livestream event
also gives people from
Wattenburg9s hometown of
Sisters the opportunity to
see her perform live for her
university.
<The people that previ-
ously couldn9t see these per-
formances can now, and it
reaches a broader audience
4 hopefully inspiring a
deeper interest and apprecia-
tion for the arts,= she said.
As for Wattenburg9s
post-graduation plans, she
is currently figuring out
how to adapt to a changing
livelihood.
The people that
previously couldn’t see
these performances
can now, and it reaches
a broader audience —
hopefully inspiring a
deeper interest and
appreciation for the arts.
— Lauren Wattenburg
<My pre-COVID plans
are out the window,= she
said.<I was originally sup-
posed to be graduated by
now and dancing in a pro-
fessional company. I have
become OK with the change
and being able to expand my
work with the university and
the academic course work as
well.=
Wattenburg is currently
trying to adapt to a chang-
ing world in performing arts
and is excited to see how the
future will unfold for the pro-
fession as a whole.
<I am learning to accept
and appreciate the uncer-
tainty of the future and will
hopefully be auditioning in a
professional environment in
the near future,= she said.
The virtual performances
put on by Utah Ballet and
the School of Dance, will be
this Thursday, October 22, at
4:30 p.m., Friday, October
23, at 6:30 p.m. and Saturday,
October 24, at 1 p.m. and
PHOTO PROVIDED
Lauren Wattenburg will be featured in livestreamed ballet performances
from the University of Utah starting this Thursday.
6:30 p.m. These times are
PST, but on the website,
they are listed in mountain
time. The show consists of
four sets within each perfor-
mance. The livestream for
the shows can be found at
https://www.dance.utah.edu/
virtualshows.
These live streams are
free of charge and open for
anyone to watch. There will
also be a donation button
where patrons can donate to
supporting the work of the
faculty, staff and students
at the School of Dance at
University of Utah.
<The goal of the event is
to bring together as best we
can and it gives a chance for
people outside of Utah to see
the performances from any-
where,= said Wattenburg.
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