SummerDance stages a program with choreography inspired by the movies

SummerDance Goes to the Movies
8 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday
Reynolds Performing Arts Center, 560 Parrington Oval, Norman
$15 for adults, $8 for students
325-4101

 There's been a long-standing romance between the arts of film and dance, and the two will converge this week with "SummerDance Goes to the Movies," presented by the University of Oklahoma's School of Dance.

Inspired by scores from movies like "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" and "A Midsummer Night's Dream," the production presents dance and ballet in a more accessible manner to a public that loves the cinema.

"We hope that the titles (of the movies) might draw film fans to dance," said director Mary Margaret Holt, who choreographed the ballet inspired by the Oscar-winning score for "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon."

Holt said the film scores and films themselves provide a wealth of inspiration when it comes to composing the arrangements.

"The dances naturally lend themselves to the imagery from the movies," she said. "The structural components of the dance relate to the music structure from the film score as well."

Holt believes the looseness and versatility the scores offer "? as well as an especially stellar costume design, including "flying kimonos" "? will make for an enjoyable evening.

"The variety of music and movement style should be interesting to everyone," she said. "We just think it will be a lot of fun."

"SummerDance Goes to the Movies" stages 8 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday at the Reynolds Performing Arts Center, 560 Parrington Oval in Norman. Tickets are $8 for students and $15 for adults. For more information, call 325-4101. "?Joshua Boydston

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