BOONE, N.C. – For the second year, students from the Department of Theatre and Dance’s “Collaborative Process” class have paired with Hayes School of Music Composition students to create new original dances with new original music to be performed together live. An informal showing of these new collaborative dance and music pieces will take place at 6 p.m. on Saturday, November 14, 2026 in Rosen Concert Hall. Admission is free.
This year, the choreographers and composers are coalescing around the theme of "Color." Together they are making four short works for solo dancers and a variety of live instrumentations each inspired by distinct shades of yellow, white, purple, and red, respectively. The solos will be performed twice, first by the performer and then by the choreographers themselves offering the audience two ways to see the dances and hear the music.
pictured: Dancers Avery Smith and Madeline Cefalu at left, Alex Hayes, cello; Liam Dumaine, marimba at right from 2025 Dance and Music Collaboration
Kayla Roberson, a Dance Major (Spring 2027) with minors in Political Science and Somatic Sustainability from Durham, NC, is creating a solo for Yvette Fay about the color yellow called “Brazen and Corduroy”. With original music, titled “Amber and Ochre”, created by Caleb Miller the composition will be brassy and deep, with chimelike piano to break up the overall stickiness. These musical elements will translate to the movement.
Liv Swinney, originally from Charlotte, NC, is a double major with Dance and Elementary Education, and is set to graduate in 2028. She is choreographing a solo on Kayla Roberson, titled “Lila,” with music composed by Katie Gerstmyer, which you can expect to see how purple as a color symbolizes mystery, individuality, power, and vulnerability.
pictured: Dancers Liefke Carwyn and Taylor Quackenbush in foreground, Sean Maccaroni, violin; Isaac Rutledge, cello In background from 2025 Dance and Music Collaboration
Savannah Wyatt, a senior Dance Studies major (Spring 2027) & Photography minor from Richmond, VA, is exploring the color white in her piece “Alabaster”, choreographed for Liv Swinney and set to original music composed by Alex Gilland.
Yvette Fay, of Newland, North Carolina, is a Dance Studies major with a minor in Hospitality and Tourism Management who is expected to graduate in May 2027. For her creative work, Fay is choreographing a solo performance set to Savannah Wyatt’s Dame en Cramoise ("Lady in Crimson"). The piece explores the symbolism and emotional depth of the color crimson while reflecting Fay’s personal and spiritual connection to it.
The project is a collaborative effort with composer Katelyn Newsome, who is creating an original score featuring alto saxophone, oboe, French horn, drums, and piano. The work draws inspiration from Donald Lawrence & The Tri-City Singers’ “Deliver Me,” featuring Le’Andria Johnson, as well as the 1912 hymn “Love Lifted Me.” Through movement and music, the piece seeks to convey themes of faith, transformation, and personal expression.
Don’t miss this opportunity to witness this year’s collaboration on Saturday, November 14, at 6 p.m. in Rosen Concert Hall!
Media Contact
For media inquiries, please contact Chris Yon, Assistant Professor, Theatre and Dance at yonct@appstate.edu, 828-262-2259 or P.J. Wirchansky, CFAA Communication Director, at wirchanskypj@appstate.edu, 828-262-7249.
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About the Department of Theatre and Dance
One of seven departments housed in the College of Fine and Applied Arts, the Department of Theatre and Dance's mission is to facilitate transformative experiences for students and the public, which cultivate compassionate, creative, and collaborative communities through theatre and dance. The department also offers coursework for integrated learning through the arts to the general university student population. Its dynamic co-curricular production program provides exemplary theatre and dance experiences to departmental students, the university community, and the region.
About the College of Fine and Applied Arts
Appalachian State University's College of Fine and Applied Arts is a dynamic and innovative group of seven academic departments, bringing together a variety of perspectives, experiences, and real-world education to provide unique opportunities for student success. The college has more than 3,500 undergraduate and graduate majors. Its departments are Applied Design, Art, Communication, Military Science and Leadership, Sustainable Development, Sustainable Technology and the Built Environment, and Theatre and Dance.
About the Hayes School of Music
Named for Mariam Cannon Hayes, the Hayes School of Music enrolls more than 475 students pursuing careers in the following fields: Music Education, Music Performance, Music Therapy, Sacred Music, Composition and Theory, Music Industry Studies, Jazz Studies, Graduate Music Studies. These programs are supported by more than 50 faculty, numerous performance ensembles, and modern academic and performance facilities.
About Appalachian State University
As the premier public undergraduate institution in the Southeast, Appalachian State University prepares students to lead purposeful lives as global citizens who understand and engage their responsibilities in creating a sustainable future for all. The Appalachian Experience promotes a spirit of inclusion that brings people together in inspiring ways to acquire and create knowledge, to grow holistically, to act with passion and determination, and to embrace diversity and difference. Located in the Blue Ridge Mountains, Appalachian is one of 17 campuses in the University of North Carolina System. Appalachian enrolls nearly 21,798 students, has a low student-to-faculty ratio, and offers more than 150 undergraduate and graduate majors.
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