Series: Dance
Date: April 9 & 10
Time: Friday & Saturday at 8:00 p.m.
Venue: University Theatre

Ticket Prices:
$10 General Admission
$5 Non-UTD Students
$5 UTD Alumni
$5 Children under 18
Free to UTD Faculty/Staff/Retirees
Free to UTD Students with UTD Photo ID at the venue box office the night of the event.

The M Project, established by the University of Texas at Dallas dance faculty Micki Saba and Michele Hanlon, brings vibrant, quality professional dance choreography and performance home to the UTD campus. Strengthening the UTD community through artistic excellence, and providing a source of inspiration for dance career-bound students are among the goals of The M Project. To this end, student dancers may appear with The M Project, enhancing student development and appreciation for the realities of dance as a career. The M Project represents the choreographic talents of Hanlon and Saba, in combination with accomplished artists from throughout the metroplex and beyond.

Micki Saba received her dance training in the Dallas area and is a graduate of the SMU Dance Department. She was a member of Dancers' Unlimited for over 10 years. Micki has worked with companies such as Arkansas Ballet, Garland Civic Theatre, and Deep Ellum Opera. Currently, she is on faculty at both Brookhaven College and the University of Texas at Dallas. She is a resident artist with Young Audiences of Greater Dallas and works independently as a choreographer, dancer and teacher.

Michele Manley Hanlon received her BFA in Dance form the University of Arizona and MFA in Modern Dance from Texas Christian University. She has been a performer, choreographer, and teacher in the Metroplex since 1988. In Texas, she has danced as a company member of the Dance Consortium, Dancers Unlimited Repertory Company, and Contemporary Dance/Fort Worth. She has had choreography commissioned locally by Contemporary Dance/Fort Worth, Collin County Community College, Pieces Dance Company, Newman Smith High School, Booker T. Washington for the Performing and Visual Arts High School, and Hip Pocket Theater. Her work has been presented by The Dallas Morning News Dance Festival, Fort Worth Modern Art Museum, Dallas Dance Gathering, Dance for the Planet Festival, The Movement Source Dance Company (AZ), New Arts Collective, University of Texas at Dallas, and in many independently presented dance concerts. Hanlon has served on the executive committee of the Dance Council as Vice President of Development. Her teaching credits include University of Texas at Dallas, TCU, Dallas Public Schools, residency at Collin County Community College, workshop for Las Cruces (NM), Chamber Ballet School, and company classes for local dance companies. Michele currently teaches dance technique and history at University of Texas at Dallas.

elledanceworks…
In the Fall of 1997, Ronelle Eddings and Michele Hanlon met and were inspired to join energies in the co-production of a dance event. The chemistry was dynamic and the one-time project became elledanceworks dance company, now in its sixth season. Over the past five years, the company has performed extensively, bringing quality choreography and performance into a variety of settings. Education is highly valued among the directors and members of elledanceworks. Seven of eleven performers are dance education specialists currently or recently working in local universities, colleges and school districts. During most of its seasons, elledanceworks presented local and out of state choreographers and companies with the aim of enriching the experience of live dance for audience and performers alike. elledanceworks has toured to Arizona and has presented workshops as far away as New Mexico. elledanceworks is available for performances, educational outreach and workshop experiences. elledanceworks is sponsored by MoveStudio www.movestudio.com

Founded in 2000, Ewert & Company emerged as an eclectic dance company, offering Texas audiences a professional and engaging dance experience. Pieces such as Suddenly and Alone highlight the company’s Graham influence; sinewy athleticism marks Ms. Ewert-Pittman’s Glaistig Uaine. Ewert & Company launched its first solo concert, Of Madness and Mirth, at the McKinney Avenue Contemporary in July 2000. Dance critic Margaret Putnam wrote that the company “demonstrates staying power,” and that the “dancers moved with unrelenting, almost torrential energy.” Ewert & Company is a non-profit 501 © (3) organization, whose purpose is to provide exceptional dance performance for the widest and most diverse audience, to preserve a tradition of excellence in the art of dance and to cultivate and educate the public about dance as an essential art form.