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Alumni spotlight
Charles Scott, VCU Dance alumnus and Limón dancer
Thoughts on VCU Dance
The students I met at VCU were some of the most imaginative, excited and self-motivated people I have ever met — healthy, vibrant, not afraid to try something new just to see if it could be done and what the response would be. Would people see it? Would it mean anything to them? Would it make a difference in their lives? The faculty really supported this, encouraged it. We all felt really inspired and challenged by one another and by our professors and by the larger art community at VCU. The program continues to be successful because of the equal emphasis placed on unbridled dreaming, intelligent composition and constructive critical exchange.
Since finishing at VCU, the Limón Dance Company has become my artistic family and my actual family. We constantly hear talk about José Limón (our founder) in the words and phrases reserved for legendary heroes. I am convinced of the immense depth and generosity of his soul by the living gift that he left us: his works, his teachings, his company. Thirty-one years after his death in 1972, the company is a collection of the most dedicated, genuine and generous people imaginable. We are constantly reminded — in technique class, rehearsal and performance — that the work is not about acting a part, or putting on a superficial image, but about fully living the experience of community in a spirit of hope and light.
Virginia Commonwealth University
School of the Arts
Department of Dance and Choreography
dance@vcu.edu
Date Last Modified: 9/6/2008