Layla Grier, Nathan Forster, and Michelle Lukach in Hooplah, choreographed by Professor Loretta Fois. Photo by Marilyn Parente
(BRANCHBURG, NJ) -- Raritan Valley Community College's Arts & Design department will present DanceWorks, an evening of student and faculty dance performances, on April 30 and May 1, 2026 at 7:00pm each night. The event will be held in the Edward Nash Theatre at the College's Branchburg campus. The Director of RVCC's dance program, Loretta Fois, will produce the concert.
The concert will include dance works from students and guest artists. Student choreography includes pieces by Jia Chen (Branchburg), Autumn Daniels (Elizabeth), Dina Grinis (Middlesex), Lavanya Karthikeyan (Bridgewater), and Kira A. Lospinoso (Annandale). The student choreography is the culmination of a semester of classwork, as students create and rehearse new works for performance.
The concert also will feature Science, performed by students at Modern Motion Dance School in Somerset, which is owned by RVCC dance alumna Ginger Haithcox, and Impulsivity, choreographed by alum Matt Maxcy (Bradley Beach) and current dance major Arianna McLean (East Brunswick), which was created for dancers from RVCC, as well as Mason Gross School of the Arts at Rutgers University.
Two faculty works round out the program: Hooplah (2018), choreographed by Professor Loretta Fois, is a playful piece featuring hula hoops, and Ode to Self, choreographed by former RVCC professor Camille Rennie, is a solo that explores the self.
The concert also celebrates the Raritan Valley Dance program's connection with the Career and Technical Education (CTE) Dance Program at Franklin High School (FHS). Through an articulation agreement, Franklin High School dance students are eligible for college credit and advanced standing in two RVCC dance courses. On April 30, Franklin students will perform The Concept of Love, choreographed by FHS student Myles Cherette. This fusion piece, set to popular R&B music, explores love through common interactions among young people, as well as different moments and relationships.
Many students appearing in the concert also perform with the Raritan Valley Dance Ensemble (RVDE), under the direction of Loretta Fois. Ensemble members include current RVCC students, alumni, and community members. In conjunction with the Arts & Design department, RVDE provides the College and greater community opportunities to experience and appreciate live dance performances. The touring Ensemble performs at local schools and for community groups each semester, as well as at campus events. For information about scheduling a lecture/performance for a school, senior center, or community group, contact Professor Fois at [email protected].
General admission tickets to DanceWorks cost $15 each, $10 for seniors. Students will be admitted free of charge. For tickets, call 908-725-3420.
Raritan Valley Community College (RVCC) is located at 118 Lamington Road in Branchburg, New Jersey.
