First Hand is UCLA’s Department of World Arts and Cultures/Dance presentation of new choreography danced by WAC/D students. The dances are by six of the nation’s leading contemporary dance makers: Kyle Abraham, Nia Love, Nina Flagg, Ros Warby, Gracie Whyte, and Cheng-Chieh Yu. First Hand is an intimate, refreshing series featuring newly conceived in-progress works, which offer the rare chance to witness the early formation of movement ideas that will eventually lead to completed works by the choreographers.
Utilizing a range of movement vocabularies and development processes, the choreographers have spent the current quarter working closely with WAC/Dance student performers in six project-based classes. These performances are the culmination of their explorations. First Hand offers a rare peek into the varying methods and initial impulses that will eventually yield fully developed Pieces.