It all starts in a studio. The right composition of student dancers come together with the right choreographers, and then, with the right amount of time, dedication, talent and technique, the Performing Dance Company (PDC) concert is crafted into a collection of new dance works. Showcasing the artistry of the Department of Modern Dance, the spring 2015 PDC concert premieres March 6 at the Marriott Center for Dance’s Hayes Christensen Theater.

With the choreographic vision of four faculty members, students ranging from freshman to graduate level have joined together to create a diverse show of inspiring new works that explore creativity, physicality and humanity; making for an unforgettably exciting evening of movement.

“Together, the choreographers and dancers have teamed up to generate work that celebrates the insatiable quest to discover more about ourselves, each other and the world around us,” said associate professor and PDC Concert Director Sharee Lane.

Associate professor Eric Handman’s industrial, haunted, human work features six powerful, dynamic, virtuoso dancers set to three songs from 90s “trip-hop” pioneers–Massive Attack, as well as music by Olafur Arnalds, Alva Noto and Ryuichi Sakamoto. A new quartet by Department of Modern Dance Chair and professor Stephen Koester will include six separate duets—each embodying a different idea, aesthetic and movement vocabulary. Assistant professor Juan Carlos Claudio’s large group work explores chaos and structural beauty, interventions, spatial order and disorder. Visiting professor Daniel Clifton’s 13-cast piece features an exploration in a variety of movement, text and music.

PDC provides professional level performing opportunities for undergraduate and graduate dance students, as well as showcases choreography from faculty and guest artists, focusing on the creation of new works and reconstruction of historical masterpieces. PDC performs two concerts each school year, with additional community and professional partnerships and performances.

The Performing Dance Company Concert opens March 6 and runs March 6, 7, 13 and 14 at 7:30 p.m., and March 12 at 5:30 p.m. University of Utah students attend for free with their UCard. Other tickets are $8-$12.