Boston Conservatory at Berklee Presents: Commercial Dance BFA Concert

17/01/2025

Boston Conservatory at Berklee Presents: Commercial Dance BFA Concert Celebrating the Conservatory's first-ever class of commercial dance students, the concert will feature works by industry-leading choreographers.

By

Tori Donahue

January 16, 2025

Boston Conservatory at Berklee's spring Center Stage season kicks off with a special, two-night performance celebrating the inaugural class of students graduating from its commercial dance degree program. The Commercial Dance BFA Concert will take place at the Berklee Performance Center on Thursday, January 30 and Friday, January 31 at 8:00 p.m.

The concert will showcase a wide variety of commercial styles, such as hip-hop, jazz, heels, and K-pop. It also will include elements of cirque/circus arts, highlighting Boston Conservatory at Berklee's position as the first academic institution in the country to offer a minor in this discipline. The concert will present a program of works choreographed by guest artists, Boston Conservatory dance faculty, and three graduating students.

Guest choreographers include Cherice Barton, a creative producer and dance educator who has worked with Katy Perry and Gwen Stefani; Boston-born dancer Keenan Cooks, who has choreographed for Ice Spice and Cardi B; Trae Turner, founder and artistic director of BOOM CRACK! Dance Company and BOOM BOX Dance Company; Kendrick Samuel, whose credits include the 2023 film adaptation of The Color Purple and performances with Doja Cat; and Jennifer Archibald, whose distinctive blending of hip-hop and ballet have led to collaborations with major dance companies throughout the US. Boston Conservatory dance faculty members Jun Kuribayashi, Anthony Burrell, Alexis Beffer, and Raul Cruz also have choreographed works for the concert, alongside third-year commercial dance students Nya Owusu-Afriyie, Aja Pruitt, and Kenneth Elam-Lunde.

The Commercial Dance BFA Concert is a milestone for the merged institution, as this is the first Dance Division performance held at the Berklee Performance Center. It's also a celebration of our first graduating class, and a showcase for all of our commercial dancers, said Tommy Neblett, dean of dance for Boston Conservatory at Berklee. I am so proud of our talented students and the choreographers who have worked with them in putting together this spectacular show, representing the diversity of the new Commercial Dance BFA degree program.

The groundbreaking three-year degree program prepares dancers and aspiring choreographers for successful careers in entertainment industries, such as film, television, theater, concert tours, live music performances, theme parks, and more. Launched in fall 2022, it is the first and only commercial dance-focused BFA degree offered at the conservatory level that can be completed in just three years, placing students on a fast track towards launching their careers in the entertainment industry.

The Commercial Dance BFA Concert will take place at the Berklee Performance Center, located at 136 Massachusetts Avenue in Boston, Massachusetts, at 8:00 p.m. on Thursday, January 30 and Friday, January 31. Tickets are $19.50 to $26.50 for regular seating; $14.50 to $19.50 for seniors, non-Berklee students, and GBH members; and $11.50 to $18.50 for Conservatory alumni. View additional events in Boston Conservatory's Center Stage season.

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Boston Conservatory at Berklee Presents: Commercial Dance BFA Concert Celebrating the Conservatory's first-ever class of commercial dance students, the concert will feature works by industry-leading choreographers.

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