FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Oct. 9, 2000

Contact: Ward Mullens

ward.mullens@emich.edu

734.487.4400

EMU DANCE COMPANY WELCOMES GUEST ARTIST LISA NICKS

YPSILANTI &endash; The Eastern Michigan University dance program will host two intermediate modern master dance classes featuring guest artist Lisa Nicks, Oct. 20-21, 10-11:30 a.m., 106 Warner Building. The classes are $10 and are open to the public. To reserve space in a class, call 734.487.0090.

Nicks also will use EMU dance majors to stage "Center My Heart," a dance choreographed by the award-winning, critically acclaimed Doug Elkins. Elkins and Nicks are founding members of the Doug Elkin's Dance Company in New York. Rehearsals for "Center My Heart" are Oct. 16-21. The piece makes its Michigan debut at EMU's Quirk Theatre, Jan. 26-28, 2001.

"The performance of "Center My Heart" by EMU dancers in January will be the first performance of an Elkin's dance by Michigan performers," said EMU dance program coordinator Joann McNamara.

Nicks was a competitive gymnast who earned a degree in dance from Sam Houston State University. She has studied extensively with Bill Evans in his kinesiology-based technique and theatre styles with Lee Theodore's American Dance Machine.

For more information, call Joann McNamara at 734.487.0090 (ext. 2714).