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Other Bodies: GCU Presents Art & Dance Collaboration

Exotic cultural art.

Georgian Court University’s Departments of Art & Visual Studies and Dance have collaborated to create “Other Bodies,” an exhibit in which dance and movement inventions have been generated in response to visual artist Farris Ellington’s large paintings of humanoids with animalistic features. This event will take place on Friday, February 8, at 7:30 p.m. in Dance Studio 2 of the Wellness Center, located on GCU’s historic Lakewood campus.

“As an artist, I am always ready and excited in experimenting with new material,” says GCU alumna Farris Ellington ’18, Atco, who was mentored by Leo Morrissey, GCU associate professor of art and chair of the Department of Art and Visual Studies. “Recently, I’ve been drawn to humanoids with animalistic features, and for this project, worked with acrylic on canvas for the first time. The larger the creatures get, the more they seem to come alive; creating a contemplative space open for interpretation.”

Alongside Ms. Ellington’s artwork and live music improvisation by Kevin Grossman, the dancers will create living sculptures composed of two bodies intertwined. This multipart body will contain a multitude of images and become a new “body,” an unexpected creature whose movement is conditioned by its new form.

The direction and concept were created by choreographer Silvana Cardell, GCU associate professor and chair of the Department of Dance. The movement inventions and performances were created in a research process with dance students Taylor Rivera, South Toms River; Esmeralda Luciano, Lakeland, Florida; Allyson “Ally” Ferry, Allenwood; Quincy Southerland, Long Branch; Brianna Griffin, Matawan; Daria Raguseo, Wyckoff; and Eliza Roman, Toms River.

“We have eight solos and/or duets that last about 3 to 5 minutes each,” says Ms. Cardell, who describes “Other Bodies” as a 50/50 collaborative creative process between the two departments. Audience members will walk through as the dancers perform, making it a truly immersive experience.

“Other Bodies” is free and open to the public. No reservations are required. For more information, call Kathleen Settles at 732-987-2170.

Aerial view of GCU.

About Georgian Court University

Georgian Court University is a leading regional university that provides a transformative education, preparing students for ethical leadership and service in the Catholic Mercy tradition. Founded in 1908 and sponsored by the Sisters of Mercy, Georgian Court University is Central and South Jersey’s only Catholic university. The university has a strong liberal arts core and a historic special concern for women.

As a forward-thinking university that supports diversity and academic excellence, GCU is known for expanding possibility for more than 1,900 students of all faiths and backgrounds in 35+ undergraduate majors and 10+ graduate programs. The GCU Lions compete in 16 NCAA Division II sports in the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC). In 2020, GCU was named a Best Value College by Money.com and a Best Bang for the Buck (Northeast) by Washington Monthly. High student retention and graduation rates make GCU a Top Performer on Social Mobility on U.S. News & World Reports rankings.

The main campus is in Lakewood, New Jersey, on the picturesque former George Jay Gould estate, a National Historic Landmark. Georgian Court, which is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education, also serves students through its Center for Professional Studies, and at other locations, including GCU at Brookdale, and through multiple online degree and certificate programs.

Deposit Deadline Extended to June 1

Georgian Court University has extended the deposit deadline to June 1 in response to the U.S. Department of Education announcement concerning delayed data availability from the revised Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Additionally, deposits are also refundable up to June 1. Click here for more information about the deposit extension.