On Wednesday, March 1, the School of Theatre and Dance, in partnership with the Presidential Lecture and Performance Series (PLPS), hosted a masterclass from Emmy-winning dance company, Pilobolus. Celebrating their 50th Anniversary, this masterclass was offered as a part of Pilobolus's Big Five-OH! tour, marking their first return to Texas Tech since 2010.

Lead Administrator of PLPS, Dóri Bosnyák, noted the significance of hosting the first dance event in four years:

PLPS has presented ten dance companies in our 16-season history, including Ailey II, MOMIX, Complexions and many more. It has been disheartening to not be able to do so since 2019. We had to postpone our last dance event and not book new events during the pandemic. I am thrilled to finally be back to our typical season, where March is dedicated to theatre/dance.    

Her enthusiasm was shared by the twenty-six students who participated in the masterclass, where they explored improvisational partner-guided movement. Marlon Feliz and Zachary Weiss, the two Pilobolus members who led the workshop, made clear from the start that the goal was not to create a choreographed piece in the ninety-minute class, but something from scratch, born from each participant's instincts and bodily expression. Junior Savannah Rhodes found that this freedom really paid off: “They created a space that allowed us to take risks and make creative decisions. The more we thought outside the box and trusted our partners, the more the phrase came together!”

Founded by four students at Dartmouth College in 1971, Pilobolus has been testing the limits of human physicality, stretching what is possible within modern dance for over half a century. In that time, they have performed all over the world on stages, in classrooms, and even at the Academy Awards. They have also committed to educating the next generations of dancers. Beyond the various classes and workshops, they offer to students in and around their home base of Washington Depot, CT, they also created a youth development program that offers a fully funded, month-long choreographic program for middle-school students. 

The continued partnership between the School of Theatre & Dance and PLPS provides unique and meaningful opportunities for our students. Head of Dance, Kyla Olson expressed the importance of this collaboration:

We are somewhat isolated in Lubbock, so it's a big deal to have these professional companies come in. When these touring companies come in to work with our students and perform for the public, our students gain so much, and our community gets to share in that experience. I am grateful for the artists that PLPS brings in to expose our students and community to what's happening globally in the arts.