“The Albion Community Dance Project” to Perform on June 6th,

On Saturday, June 6 th Fluence Arts will present “The Missy Wyss Celebration of Dance” at 6 pm in Goodrich Chapel on the Albion College Campus.

 This contemporary dance event honors the work and life of Missy Wyss who taught at Albion College from the 1970’s to 2007. Wyss started the now-former dance program at the college, and engaged with dance educators and professional choreographers, such as John Parks formerly of the Alvin Ailey Dance American Dance Theater, and Barbara Selinger of DDCdances, to bring dance experience into the greater Albion community. 

Keeping to the spirit of her mentor’s work, Fluence Artistic Director Kristy Clement, has centered the celebration of dance around the creation and debut of “The Albion Community Dance Project”, offering free professional dance training to any interested community member in exchange for their commitment to rehearse twice a week and perform in the June 6th “Missy Wyss Celebration of Dance”. This opportunity was open to all interested - ages 15 on up – regardless of experience and physical ability.

The dancers are having lots of fun as they work hard to prepare. The group meets twice a week for two-hour rehearsals with Kristy so they can master the steps in the dance Kristy has choreographed especially for them. They also take home video recordings after each rehearsal to review and use to practice in their spare time. 

All six dancers conveyed that this learning experience has been like no other. As Nancy said, “Kristy is sharing her gift of instruction. She’s very intentional, well-prepared, and the way she teaches is very natural to those who are receiving it.” Noticing Kristy’s openness and presence in the moment, and the spontaneous way in which Kristy adjusts the choreography for -and with- the group, Kiera shared, “Learning from Kristy is so much fun. It’s not what you think of when you think of a dance class. She allows us to move at the pace we need to. She’s flexible. She pushes us and modifies for us.”

The sense of safety and acceptance that Kristy’s approach provides facilitates growth and expression. Jori shared, “I like Kristy, the instructor. She makes changes last minute, and she goes with the flow. I like it because it takes a little bit of the pressure off. It’s comforting to know nobody is perfect. In this group everybody is different. I don’t feel judged and can just have fun.” It also allowed Laura to share a personal concern with Kristy, “It feels very gender neutral as an activity. I did not want to wear a female costume, and Kristy was open to hearing about this.” 

The opportunity to get intensive professional dance training from Kristy in exchange for performing has been a powerful experience for participants. For some it has been life- changing. Kiera, who had loved dancing in her church as a child and pre-teen reflected, “I wished I had felt more empowered in dance as a teen. Having a larger body, I was treated in a certain way. This is inclusive, and it feels so much better. It’s great to be dancing again.” Reflecting on her upcoming 30th birthday, Kiera added, “I’m hoping this will be a catalyst for my

life moving forward. I know I want dance to continue to be part of my life.”

The diversity of “The Albion Community Project” itself has contributed to the dancers’ growth and enjoyment over the last two months. They have coalesced naturally into a close and mutually supportive group. As Izzy Riske, said, “I really enjoy the environment and all the skills we each add to the class. We’re all coming together in different points in our lives and it meshes well. We create a unique environment that is very welcoming.”

This experience of welcome, safety, and acceptance, combined with Kristy’s expert instruction and well-paced challenges, has had profound effects. As Jori shared, “I found a place I feel I belong, and I don’t have to be anything I am not. I felt like I’d thrive here, and I do!”