2006 Grads Represent Columbia at National Festival
In 2005, supported by a Fulbright Award and a sabbatical grant from Columbia College Chicago, choreographer and Columbia dance teacher Jan Erkert toured communal bathhouses on a quest for artistic inspiration. What grew out of this search was her dance work Hole in the Bucket, in which a white woman and a black woman dance the exploration and growth of a relationship across racial and cultural boundaries.
Hole in the Bucket, developed in collaboration with Columbia students Hettie Barnhill and Cara Sabin, was one of 48 works competing at the North Central Region/North American College Dance Festival in March. It was one of three works performed at the national festival in Washington DC. in May. In all, 29 works from schools throughout the U.S. were performed at this national showcase.
'In a very real sense, the Kennedy Center performance is a celebration of Columbia's commitment to open access and diversity,' says Erkert. 'Cara, while an athlete, had no formal dance training before entering Columbia. She would not have been accepted into a dance program at one of the 'elite institutions.' Columbia provided opportunity and she has more than lived up to her promise. Hettie had serious training, but because of a very challenging economic position could not have gone to college without substantial assistance from scholarships. Both of them have been dedicated, driven and inspired. And, now they've culminated their Columbia experience by performing at the Kennedy Center!'
'The piece is very close to my heart,' says Hettie. 'I feel very connected to Hole in the Bucket because it was created through Cara and me with our input and emotions. I experience something new about myself every time we perform it. Working with Jan is an amazing experience that pushes me off one edge on to another. I was so honored and thrilled to be a part of this process and this performance in Washington.'
In addition to an audience of their peers from the college and university dance community, Hettie and Cara performed before dance makers of international status, who attend the festival to scope out new talent.
Not that either of the young women graduated at loose ends.
Cara Sabin, whose goals encompass a career in both performance and teaching, has already been tapped by Chicago's critically acclaimed The Seldoms and begins dancing with them this summer. The petite 22-year-old native of Rochelle, Illinois (population 7,500) followed her brother to Columbia because she was familiar with the school's values of diversity and artistic expression. 'I knew that this urban environment, that was so foreign to me, was a place that fostered artists and encouraged individuals to find and express who they are despite where they came from,' she says. 'The diversity in people who became my friends and peers gave me an education outside of the classroom that I could not have gotten anywhere else. The people here have forever changed how I view myself and the world around me. My four years at Columbia have not only prepared me for my career, but have given me an appreciation and respect for individuality.'
Receiving her BFA in the Teaching of Dance from Columbia this spring was only half the academic story for Cara. With a strong belief in the power of dance to change lives, Cara passionately wants to teach in the Chicago Public Schools. To that end she attended National Lewis University concurrently with her program at Columbia in order to complete requirements for her Illinois State teaching certificate.
Cara's experience as a small-town high-school track star from an economically comfortable family served as a stark counterpoint to the experiences of artistic partner Hettie Barnhill as they wove their personal stories and improvisations with Jan Erkert's set choreography as the trio developed Hole in the Bucket.
Hettie Barnhill, an African-American woman reminiscent of the young Judith Jamison, grew up in East St. Louis, Illinois. Despite struggling as a single mother since Hettie was only six, her mom encouraged Hettie's inborn calling to be a dancer and choreographer. Hettie started dancing at age three and began approaching it seriously when she began taking class the Center of Contemporary Art (COCA) in St. Louis and later attended Central Visual Performing Arts High School, experiences that she considers the beginning of her professional career. 'I was also a St. Louis Muni Opera kid,' says the 21 year old. 'Coming from East St. Louis, I was taught that there are no free handouts. My family, friends, church and schools helped mold me into who I am today. I thank God for making it this far but it's only the beginning.'
For Hettie, Columbia was a last-minute choice. She made it into a highly selective university program, but there was a financial issue and Columbia came through with financial assistance. 'Columbia was the right place for me at the right time. I have been able to earn a degree doing what I love to do and fulfilling my childhood goals. Columbia gave me the space, time and opportunity for my art and all I had to do was seize it. This was also my first serious exposure to modern dance choreography and technique. I knew immediately that I was made for modern dance.'
Some other folks who probably have a good eye for spotting talent also think she is made for modern dance. Hettie, who received her BA in dance on May 14, has been invited to train in Alvin Ailey's professional program and to take company classes with Bill T. Jones. 'I'm looking forward to making the big move to New York and auditioning for the dance companies that stood out to me these last four years at the Dance Center,' she explains. 'These companies are both physically strong in their dance execution but also create conceptually meaningful work. I love dance with purpose and want to express that in my work, exploring the problems of society, struggles of the every day, issues of race gender, class and sexuality.'
Jan Erkert is a dance artist, author, leader and builder in contemporary dance. As Artistic Director of Jan Erkert & Dancers from 1979-2000, Ms. Erkert created over 60 works for an ensemble of dancers critically acclaimed for their mature artistry. Ms. Erkert's work has been seen throughout the United States as well as in Germany, Mexico, Taiwan, Japan, Uruguay and Israel. The recipient of considerable national recognition, Ms. Erkert and the company have been honored with numerous awards including fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts and the Illinois Arts Council, a CalArts Alpert Award nomination, a Fulbright Award and seven Ruth Page Awards for choreography and performance. She is currently a professor at The Dance Center of Columbia College in Chicago, where she received the prestigious Excellence in Teaching Award in 1999. She was recently invited to represent Columbia College Chicago as a nominee for the U.S. Professor of the Year sponsored by the Carnegie Foundation. As an engineer of the body and celebrated artist, she provides a link between artmaking and dance training. Her book, Harnessing the Wind: The Art of Teaching Modern Dance, released by Human Kinetics in 2003, provides a new and vital resource for the field of dance. She is known internationally and throughout the United States as a master teacher and performer; inspiring people with her intense, honest approach.