This forum is coordinated by the College of the Arts Council for Undergraduate Research (COTA CUR), now Geer College of the Arts (GCA CUR).
Amber Solana: Choreographic Copyrights: The Case of Fuller v. Bemis
Loïe Fuller’s “Serpentine Dance,"... “a show of swirling silk and rainbow lights”, became an international phenomenon and it forever impacted how dancers can get copyrighted in today’s society. Join me in exploring this research topic I chose for my Dance History Research Project!
Amber Solana is a second-year double majoring in dance with a modern concentration and marketing. She’s danced for 16 years and competitively danced for 9 of those years with Studio 4 the Arts in Powder Springs, Ga. She has been a member of the KSU Dance Company and she represented the KSU Dance Department at the 2023 KSU College of the Arts Gala as a performer. Amber has also been a part of a dance film with 4Sight Productions and performed at the 2023 Fall for Fall Dance Festival in Atlanta under choreographer McKaylah Bristow. She is forever grateful for the experiences she has gained from the KSU Dance Department and she is looking forward to the rest of her college career here at KSU!
James Doster: Stephen Sondheim's "Assassins," An All-American Review
Stephen Sondheim is one of the most famous composers in Broadway history. His masterfully
evocative scores such as Sweeney Todd, Into The Woods, and West Side Story are famous, even with people that are not theatre artists. Assassins is one of Sondheim’s most under-appreciated works, as it cleverly holds the mirror up to American society through it’s most notorious brand of criminal: the Presidential assassin.
Assassins criticizes the American dream, by exploring the pressures that are put upon Americans
to achieve it, and when they fail to do so, their anger turns to the figurehead who
promised the dream to them. Assasins weaves together these themes of betrayal, opportunity, rage, and sadness to form a beautiful piece that should be considered one of Sondheim’s finest works.
James Doster is an aspiring actor and singer. He is a sophomore student at KSU, majoring
in Theatre and Performance Studies with a concentration in Musical Theatre. He has
performed in productions such as Chicago, Curtains, and Rosencrantz & Guildenstern are Dead. He loves learning guitar, writing, singing and his orange cat, Little Man.
Spring 2023 Undergraduate Research Forum (Virtual)
This forum is coordinated by the College of the Arts Council for Undergraduate Research (COTA CUR).
Issa Solís: “Why is the Collision Model a Holistically Effective Strategy to Rehabilitate Incarcerated Youth?”
Theatre and Performance Studies senior Issa Solís has been involved with the New Connections Collision Project as a peer mentor and most recently a student assistant. In this presentation, she offers a case for theatre-based rehabilitation for incarcerated youth.
Issa is a senior at Kennesaw State University with a major in Theatre and Performance
Studies and a minor in Latin American Studies. Issa's biggest passion lies in the
intersection between art and community engagement. She is blessed to be involved in
local art activism with the New Connections Collision Project, a collaboration between
Kennesaw State University, the Georgia Department of Juvenile Justice, and the Alliance
Theatre. When Issa graduates, she hopes to attend graduate school to receive a master's
degree and continue to work in art and community engagement.
Carly Walters: “Twyla Tharp: Deuce Coupe”
“Deuce Coupe is noted to be one of the most influential ballets of the 1970’s because of Twyla Tharp’s commitment to push boundaries and change what is traditionally accepted as ballet repertoire.”
Carly Walters is a junior double majoring in dance with a ballet concentration and business management. She previously trained in the pre-professional academy at the Atlanta Academy of Ballet and Dance. She is certified in level one of the Revolutionary Principles of Movement curriculum and is also continuing her dance education by being an instructor. She has attended summer intensives with Texas Ballet Theater, American Ballet Theatre, and the Orlando Ballet School.
Alexis Young, "Exploring the Intersection of Dance and AI: A Dancer's Perspective"
Join me as I discuss my perspective as a dance major and research assistant in the
field of Generative AI. Discover how this technology can serve as a tool for creative
expression and feedback in the world of dance, offering new possibilities for both
artists and audiences alike.
Alexis Young is a senior dance major at Kennesaw State University, specializing in modern dance. As a research assistant to esteemed Professor Andrea Knowlton during the spring 2023 semester, Alexis is delving into the fascinating realm of dance and Generative AI. With 12 years of extensive dance experience under her belt, Alexis plans to combine her passion for dance with her upcoming pursuit of a Doctorate in Physical Therapy. Her ultimate goal is to aid dancers by preventing injuries and offering rehabilitation through a unique and innovative approach.
