Desktop News | June 2023
Zoe Woebkenberg, a College of Arts and Sciences student, is gearing up to showcase her dance performance, titled The End, at the upcoming Young Choreographer’s Festival in New York City on June 2, 2023. With her own choreography, Woebkenberg has poured her heart and soul into this captivating piece, which promises to leave a lasting impact on the audience.
From a young age, Woebkenberg ‘s passion for dance has burned bright, and her four years at the Capstone have only fueled the fire within her. Here, she explored diverse avenues of choreography and honed her craft. The End is a heartfelt dedication to the people she met during her time at UA, reflecting her emotions as she prepares to bid farewell to her friends and fellow dancers.
Drawing inspiration from the haunting melody of James Blake’s “When We’re Older,” Woebkenberg crafted her choreography to embody the raw emotions she feels as she navigates the bittersweet transition from university life to the unknown. This powerful connection between music and movement resonates deeply with her, and she hopes it will resonate with the audience as well.
“I was really inspired by the song “When We’re Older,” by James Blake, and it’s a very sad song,” expressed Woebkenberg. “When I first heard it, I was like crying, and I thought to myself, ‘Okay, I gotta dance to this!’ It really inspired me, drawing from my time here, and I just wanted to wrap it up in the best way I could.”
Woebkenberg ‘s remarkable talent and dedication have earned her an invitation to the Young Choreographer’s Festival in New York City, where she will be joining a group of 13 exceptional choreographers from across the nation to showcase their work. At the festival, Woebkenberg will receive invaluable support and resources to enhance her creative process. She will be paired with a mentor who will provide guidance and assistance throughout her artistic journey. This personalized mentorship will enable her to refine her choreographic skills and explore new dimensions of her work. Woebkenberg will have exclusive access to private workshop classes, where she can further develop her technique and expand her artistic horizons, and also interactive sessions, providing a platform for constructive dialogue and valuable insights.
“We will have a talkback session at the festival where attendees can ask questions,” stated Woebkenberg. “I’m excited to be on the receiving end of answering them instead of asking.”
Reflecting on the journey that led her to this moment, Woebkenberg is grateful for the unwavering support of her closest friends and collaborators. Together, they tirelessly experimented with different movements, pushing boundaries and testing limits, until they discovered the perfect fusion of expression and storytelling. The result is a performance that leaves the audience captivated.
To learn more about the Young Choreographer’s Festival, visit http://youngchoreographersfestival.com/