Event

The Faculty of Humanities and Education, Department of Creative and Festival Arts will present “CELEBRATING DANCE: Contemporary Works by Andre Largen”. This production will feature the Metamorphosis Dance Company and UWI Dance Alumni. It will be held at Learning Resource Centre UWI, St. Augustine Campus on January 17th, 2009 at 6:00 p.m. This event will be the third in a series of showcase concerts hosted by the Department and is aimed at highlighting the works of noted Dancer and Choreographer, Mr. Andre Largen.

Tickets are available at a cost of TT $120.

For more information on the concert, please contact the Department of Creative and Festival Arts at 663-2222 or 662-2002 Ext. 3791 or 2510 or email Marissa.Brooks@sta.uwi.edu.  

BIOGRAPHY

Andre Largen started his dance career with the Cyril St Lewis Dance Company and the Holy Name Convent/ St Mary’s Dance Company in Trinidad in 1971.  This is where his forays into choreography began. On receiving a scholarship won on “Teen Talent”, the doors were opened to fulfill his life long dream of dance.  In the United States, he attended some of the most recognised and renowned Schools of Dance for training – Martha Graham School of Contemporary Dance, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre and Dance Theatre of Harlem. Mr. Largen has been a teacher at some of the most prestigious schools including Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre, School of the Performing Arts, Third Street Music School and several Artist in Residence Programs.  At The Dance Foundation (London), Andre still teaches both students and teachers (London College) alike in the Horton Technique.  Locally, his teaching experiences have included Metamorphosis Dance Company, Humming Bird Dance Company, La Chapelle/Douglas Dance Company and the Renaissance Dance Company.  At present he is a Lecturer (Part-Time) in the Certificate Dance Programme at UWI, St. Augustine, Department of Creative and Festival Arts.

Mr. Largen has choreographed plays both locally and internationally including “Run Baby Run”, the life story of evangelist Nicky Cruz; Roof Top, South Quay Story and his production “From Andre With Dance” which was sold out  at all performances at Queen’s Hall.  He has also choreographed for La Chapelle/Douglas Dance Company, Ailey Workshop, Renaissance Dance Company, Astor Johnson’s Repertory Dance Theatre, Ailey Solo Tour, Metamorphosis Dance Company and churches in Trinidad, Guyana and the United States.

Ms Hazel Franco, Coordinator of the Dance and Dance Education Certificate programme at Creative Arts notes: “…Andre has been one of our most celebrated Dancers/ Choreographers. It has been three years since he has been associated with the Department and has been giving of his knowledge and expertise on Dance to the many students who have passed through the Certificate programme in Dance and Dance Education." According to Ms. Franco, Mr. Largen's choreographic works stand out as a blend of local and international movement and style.