"Refracted Elements" Dance Concert

The Expressive & Performing Arts Division of Saint Mary’s College presents the Saint Mary’s College Dance Company’s annual fall dance concert “Refracted Elements” which features a variety of works choreographed by our seniors Deja Antes, Madison Erwin, Lola Gonzalez, Sydney Newton, Ilayda Ozbilgin, Julia Peterson, and Daniella Wilson. Seniors’ works will be performed by our students of the Saint Mary’s College Dance Company and Baile Folklórico Guadalupano. Styles included in the concert will feature Baile Folklórico (Mexican folk dance), Modern/Contemporary Dance, and Hip Hop Dance. The evening is supported by our resident Lighting Designer, Matthew Cohen, and Directed by Professor CatherineMarie Davalos. 

Sydney Newton’s contemporary dance piece, The Space Between Time, explores overwhelming emotions and the disorienting sensations of rhythm and memory. Through repetition and shifting tempos, the dancers represent various ways of experiencing time as the central, uncontrollable force. The choreography ultimately considers how movement can stretch time and show how we must learn to move within its rhythm.

Reclaim my Body, choreographed by Julia Peterson, is a street style dance following her journey to overcome health anxiety while retaining her self-confidence. Through styles like hip-hop, waacking, krump, belly dance, and West African dance, she explores fear, frustration, and eventual triumph. Opposing groups of dancers use fluid versus erratic movements to trace her progression toward reclaiming her body.

The modern dance piece Somewhere Between Chapters, choreographed by Ilayda Ozbilgin, explores the journeys of moving between countries and communities. Viewing life as a book made of changing chapters, the work reflects on the relationships, transitions, and connections that shape our identity. Through expressive solo and ensemble movements, the dancers embody the delicate balance of holding on and letting go.

Madison Erwin’s Divided Within is a modern contemporary dance piece exploring the complex relationship between the heart and the brain. Through distinct movement qualities, two groups represent the brain's logic and structure alongside the heart's fluid intuition. Ultimately, the work serves as a psychological exploration of how thought and emotion interact to shape our everyday decisions and experiences.

Mis Mariposas Queridas, choreographed by Lola Gonzalez, is a Baile Folklórico piece honoring her family roots and featuring dances from the Mexican states of Nayarit, Durango, and Chihuahua. Inspired by the symbolism of the Monarch butterfly, the dance honors her abuelos' stories and highlights cultural pride, strength, and resilience through traditional movement. Ultimately, the performance celebrates love and family history by bringing together the distinct regional dance traditions of her grandparents.

The modern dance piece The Darkness that Lurks Within, created by Daniella Wilson, explores themes of fear, possession, and the psychological breakdown of a family haunted by a supernatural force. Inspired by classic horror films like The Conjuring, Insidious, Annabelle, and The Babadook, the choreography uses sharp movement, stillness, and tension to show a dark presence affecting each family member. Ultimately, the performance portrays how intense human emotions like fear and anxiety impact the body, mind, and personal relationships.

Created by Deja Antes, Panagiggem is a modern contemporary dance work set to Filipino music that explores the growing pains of her relationships with her great-grandmother and older brother. The title Panagiggem represents the idea of holding on to the people we love as our relationships change over time. Through dynamic partnering, floorwork, and contrasting movements, seven dancers embody these changing familial connections in a tribute to resilience and family history.

DATES & TIMES:
Thursday, November 12, 2026 - 8 p.m.
Friday, November 13, 2026 - 8 p.m.
Saturday, November 14, 2026 - 3 p.m. 
Saturday, November 14, 2026 - 8 p.m.

LOCATION:
LeFevre Theatre, 1928 St Mary's Road, Moraga, CA 94575
View a map and get directions.

Non-SMC Students & SMC Faculty/Staff $15; General Admission $20

Thanks to the ARTS ARE ALIVE! initiative and the Student Experience Fee, tickets are free for SMC students by showing their valid SMC ID at the Box Office door 15-30 minutes before each performance.
All other patrons should purchase their tickets online at stmarys-ca.edu/dance-fa26 at least 24 hours prior to the performance. A limited number of tickets are available for sale 30 minutes before each performance at the Box Office, but avoid the line, and buy online since no one is allowed to interrupt by showing up late to a dance piece. You will be asked to wait in the lobby until the piece has ended.

CONTACT: 
Tara Sundy
Performing Arts Department Coordinator & Events Manager
Saint Mary's College of California
(925) 631-4670
tms8@stmarys-ca.edu