Webster University to Present New Works Concert 2023
October 24, 2023
Webster University’s Leigh Gerdine College of Fine Arts (LGCFA) Department of Dance presents the New Works Concert 2023, taking place on
Nov. 9 and 10 at 7:30 p.m. and Nov. 11 at 2 p.m. on Stage III, located in the lower
level of Webster Hall.
New Works is a performance opportunity for choreographers to try new methodologies
and explore new ideas. It is a laboratory for taking risks, growing and seeking feedback.
The choreographers for this year’s New Works Concert consist of Webster dance alumni
Malinda Crump, Josiah Gundersen, Paige Van Nest, and Webster University Faculty Maggi
Dueker, Lois Enders, and Tayler Kinner.
Malinda Crump, a Webster Dance alumna, prefaced what her segment of the New Works
Concert will explore.
“Over, Under, Around + Through is inspired by a series of lithographs, Die Hölle,
by German artist Max Beckmann. The dancers weave through space and around each other
much like Beckmann's characters on the page. Drawing on the dynamic energy of these
prints, this piece explores the interplay between self, group and environment. How
can we weave our movement together with our complicated environment? How do our circumstances
change our vocabulary and how do our actions affect our surroundings?”
Lois Enders, adjunct faculty of Webster Dance, unveiled the inspiration behind her
work.
“Brought to life through the unique gifts and spirit each dancer brings, Way Beyond
the Blue celebrates the people or moments in your life that remind you there is grace
available, helping you to persevere despite adversity. ‘So, to honor the up with the
down...moving forward to find your way back (Ben Taylor).’”
Webster Dance Department Chair and Assistant Professor Maggi Dueker gave insight to
what will take place in her piece.
“I wanted to explore the interplay between classical and contemporary ballet dance-making
and performance for this piece. I also sought to challenge the dancers technically
and artistically through choreography that demands both precision and virtuosity.”
Josiah Gundersen, a Webster Dance alum and current company dancer with Resilience
Dance Company, explained that his performance seeks to uncover deeper truths through
movement.
“I am interested in the investigation of movement as a tool to uncover the identities
and histories from which our bodies stem. How does identity making become fractured
within the American landscape? How is abstraction both a removal and an embrace?”
Paige Van Nest, alum of Webster Dance and current dancer with Leverage Dance Theater
and MADCO, gave a preview of what to expect from her performance.
“Dicey is a not so black and white reflection on how we weigh risk and reward.”
Tayler Kinner, adjunct faculty of Webster Dance and the co-founder and artistic director
of Big Plate Dance, also briefly shared.
“Let It Simmer explores the concept of cognitive dissonance, probing the experience
of two conflicting thoughts held within one mind.”
Tickets for the New Works Concert can be purchased online, although admission is free for Webster students, faculty, and staff.
For more information about the performances or to learn more about the Department
of Dance, call the Webster University Fine Arts Hotline at (314) 968-7128, email dance@webster.edu,
or visit the department website at www.webster.edu/dance.
Artist Biographies:
MALINDA CRUMP (they/she) has recently returned to her native Missouri after dancing
and choreographing in New York City for 16 years. While in New York, Malinda danced
with a number of companies, touring nationally and performing at historic dance venues
such as the Brooklyn Academy of Music, Judson Church, the Joyce and Jacob's Pillow.
Prior to her career in NYC, Malinda danced for several companies in Kansas City. Her
choreography has been presented in NYC, San Francisco, Kansas City, and at the American
Dance Festival. Malinda holds a BFA in dance and a BA in psychology from Webster University
and an MFA in dance from Hollins University.
MAGGI DUEKER (she/her) is an Assistant Professor and the Chair of the Department of
Dance at Webster University. She founded and is the Director of Webster’s Summer Dance
Intensives. Her choreography has been performed by the Webster University Dance Ensemble,
Convergence, and at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, American College Dance
Festival, Dancing in the Streets, and National Dance Day. Dueker has an MFA in Dance
from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and received her BFA in Dance and BA in
History from Webster (Summa cum laude). She performed professionally with Kaley Pruitt
Dance, Giordano Dance Chicago II, Royal Caribbean International, the Muny, and as
a freelance performer with Melissa Thodos and Dancers and the Chicago Arts Project
under the direction of Jay Franke. She has previously taught at Northwestern University,
the Giordano Dance Center, and currently teaches for the Big Muddy Dance Company.
For her work at Webster, Dueker has been nominated for the Excellence in Teaching
and Advising Excellence awards.
LOIS ENDERS (she/her) is a Webster University alum, who brings to her alma mater over
25 years of industry experience to instruct students and cultivate the skills they
need to succeed.
Lois’ performance credits include the First National Tour of Irving Berlin’s White
Christmas (Assistant Dance Captain/Swing), and five seasons as a Radio City Rockette
in the Radio City Christmas Spectacular. Other regional credits include multiple productions
with The Muny, STAGES St. Louis, and Riverside Theatre. Lois also danced aboard Norwegian
Cruise Lines. As a dance educator, Lois teaches ballet, pointe, precision dance, jazz,
tap, and musical theatre dance at various studios and performing arts academies in
the St Louis area. She was a presenter at the 2022 Missouri Thespians Conference.
Lois was privileged to act as Dance Captain for Variety Theatre’s 2019 production
of Mary Poppins and Instructor for the 2019-20 season of Variety Children’s Dance.
As a member of the adjunct faculty at Webster University, Lois is grateful for the
opportunity to share the principles and nuances of ballet and jazz with her students-timeless
foundations and disciplines pertinent to each student’s success.
Though he's been dancing all his life, JOSIAH GUNDERSEN (he/him) took his first dance
class when he was 15 at Studio West Dance Academy in Olympia, Washington. After high
school he moved to St. Louis to attend Webster University where he received a BFA
in Dance with a Modern Emphasis. Since graduating, he has gone on to be a founding
member of Resilience Dance Company and is now in his fifth season with the company.
He has also worked extensively with independent choreographers Emily Duggins and Jacob
Henss. Exploring his own forms of movement through improvisational and choreographic
research is also a vital part of his movement experience. When he is not dancing,
Josiah works as the taproom manager at Wellspent Brewing Co. and gives walking history
tours for the Missouri History Museum.
TAYLER KINNER (she/her) grew up in the cornfields of Springfield, IL. She holds a
BFA in Dance and a minor in Advertising & Marketing Communications from Webster University,
graduating with departmental honors. Tayler spent several years in San Francisco where
she was fortunate enough to work with contemporary and dance-theater companies including
RAWdance, Alyssandra Katherine Dance, Tim Rubel Human Shakes, KWENTO, REYES Dance,
and several independent artists. She has performed in New York, Berlin, St. Louis,
and throughout the Bay Area. Tayler is the Co-Founder and Artistic Director of Big
Plate Dance, using improvisation to bring spontaneous and joyful works to audiences.
She currently works with Karlovsky & Company Dance, is an adjunct faculty member at
Webster University, and lives in St. Louis with her partner and two cats.
PAIGE VAN NEST (she/her) is originally from St. Louis, Missouri and began her training
at Arts in Motion School of Dance. She graduated from Webster University in 2019 with
a BFA in Modern Dance and a Certificate in Entrepreneurship. Her training outside
of Webster University includes Nashville Ballet, The Big Muddy Dance Company, MADCO,
and Hubbard Street Dance Chicago. In addition to performing with Leverage Dance Theater
and MADCO, Paige has also performed in the KP Project and in the SMTC summer residency
projects with Jacob Henss. She looks forward to continuing her movement research in
the St. Louis dance community.