Meet four dance alumni who are still performing together at the Patricia Kenny Dance Collection.
For a growing number of Adelphi alumni, these are far from mere fantasies. They are encapsulations of how the network they created as students has fueled them as professionals鈥攁nd how it continues to nurture today鈥檚 students.听
Still Dancing Together at PKDC: Ashley Chandler 鈥�10, Kelly Butterworth 鈥�11, M.A. 鈥�12, Amanda Webster 鈥�12, Andy Jacobs 鈥�13 and Brian Butterworth 鈥�15
by Andrea Maneri
As Adelphi undergraduates, Kelly Butterworth 鈥�11, M.A. 鈥�12, Ashley Chandler 鈥�10,听Andy Jacobs 鈥�13 and Amanda Webster 鈥�12 trained together in 鈥檚 studios and performed on its stages. Today, they are still dancing together as members of the听听(笔碍顿颁).
Ms. Chandler was the first of the four alumni to gain a spot with the PKDC. “I never would have thought Adelphi would play such an integral part of my life,” she said. It was through her Adelphi instructor, Heather Berest鈥攁 former Paul Taylor Dance Company member鈥攖hat Ms. Chandler got a chance in her senior year to perform with the PKDC. That led to a permanent spot with the company.
As the PKDC continued to grow and artistic director Patricia Kenny was interested in bringing new dancers on board, Ms. Chandler looked to the talent at her听alma mater. Each year since 2010, Adelphi alumni have joined the company. “It was so natural,” said Ms. Chandler of the four finding a home with the PKDC. “And it鈥檚 so nice to dance together. This company has an unbelievable connection on stage.”
Ms. Chandler explained that in addition to the time they dedicate to the company鈥攖hey practice weekly and perform monthly鈥攕he and her Adelphi classmates also hold other jobs and manage to fit in dance or fitness classes in the mornings or evenings.
鈥淵ou need to be disciplined,鈥� said Mr. Jacobs who also dances with the Mazzini Dance Collective and Amy Marshall Dance Company. 鈥淚f you don鈥檛 get up to take that class or go to that audition, somebody else is going to. And they鈥檒l be one step ahead of you. That鈥檚 something [Adelphi Assistant Professor] Orion Duckstein told us, and I鈥檒l never forget it.鈥�
The four dancers were drawn to Adelphi (from Massachusetts, Connecticut and New York) for similar reasons: the dance program鈥檚 caliber and intimate size, the University鈥檚 location鈥攋ust 20 miles east of Manhattan; and the talent or merit scholarships each received.
At Adelphi, they benefited from a broad education. 鈥淲e studied techniques from Taylor to Graham to Muller to Horton鈥nd were trained in so many different styles,鈥� Ms. Webster said. 鈥淵ou鈥檇 be upstairs taking classical ballet in the morning. In the afternoon, you鈥檇 be downstairs sliding across the floor, being as raw with your movement as you can.鈥�
鈥淲e worked with brilliant professors and world-renowned choreographers,鈥� Ms. Butterworth said. 鈥淚鈥檓 so grateful for that and for the performance opportunities鈥攖hose led by faculty and outside choreographers as well as the student choreography we get to put on at the end of every semester.鈥�
Recently, the alumni returned to Adelphi to teach a听. 听鈥淚t was surreal to demonstrate at the front of the class and be able to say to the students, 鈥業 was exactly where you are, thinking, 鈥楥an I do this?鈥� And now I am where I hoped I鈥檇 be, dancing with a company,鈥欌�� Ms. Webster said.
鈥淭he fact that Professor Frank Augustyn and Adelphi welcomed us back says that our university cares where its students move on to and that they want to showcase their alumni,鈥� Ms. Butterworth said. 鈥淚t shows Adelphi supports its dancers鈥攑ast, present and future.鈥�
For further information, please contact:
Todd Wilson
Strategic Communications Director听
p 鈥� 516.237.8634
e 鈥� twilson@adelphi.edu