Jiemin Yang, left, chats with Shanice Mason, center, and Tyesha Nance, right, during the registration for the classes at the American Dance Festival at Wilson Residence Hall Thursday. Photo by Megan Mendenhall/Duke Photography
With many of the 400 dance students around her during registration in Wilson Dorm for the American Dance Festival Thursday, Cynthia Booth had a joyful feeling of being surrounded.
“I’m ready to be submerged into a creative process of dance,” said Booth. “Being surrounded by performances and taking classes with students grows you immensely as a mover.”
Booth's excitement was shared by the other dancers who had travelled from around the world to come to Durham for the ADF's Six Week School and to watch some of the 60 performances from the best modern dance companies
A dancer from Sacramento, Calif., Booth said she is ready to make her first time with ADF a creative one.
“I love dance because its words that I can’t express and its therapy,” said Booth. “It’s a lens where you can view the world.”
Part of the excitement, said Gal Sabo, a dancer from Israel, is knowing that the next six weeks is going to be hard work in the company of great teachers and other dancing students. In the end, Sabo said, she expects to be a better dancer.
“Coming down for the entire summer and just doing dance is going to be intense,” said Sabo.
Terriell Samuels from Seattle, returning for the second time, said she is looking forward to working with new and returning companies. “I’m looking forward to seeing Paul Taylor and Doug Varone Dancers,” said Samuels.
At Thursday's registration, ADF staff did some of their own catching up with returning students. Receptionist Dana Livermoore, said the ADF is a place where everyone can reunite.
“There is a reason why people keep coming,” Livermoore said.
Staff assistants who help students get registered and help facilitate classes described the experience of ADF as “eye-opening.”
“I love new teachers and I love meeting people from all over,” Maria Lewis said.
Shakira Warren is a rising junior at NC Central University who is working as an intern this summer at Duke's Office of News and Communication.