Communications students capture dancers in motion

Assistant Professor Max Negin’s “Creating Multimedia Content” classes photographed students in Elon University’s Department of Performing Arts for an upcoming project. 

Kayla McGrath ’16, a dance performance and choreography major, shows off her moves for students in Assistant Professor Max Negin’s “Creating Multimedia Content” class, including photographer Matthias Bouska ’16 (left).
​One can be forgiven if they recently confused McEwen Communications Building for Elon’s Center for the Arts.

Two sections of Assistant Professor Max Negin’s “Creating Multimedia Content” course photographed 18 undergraduates in the Department of Performing Arts on Sept. 16, including 11 senior dance majors, performing an array of dance moves. Negin’s students stationed themselves in McEwen’s Studio A as well as around the outside of the building to capture photographs, both stills and action shots.

The School of Communications students also recorded audio that will be combined with the photography for a class assignment later in the semester. To see photos of the students in action, visit the School of Communications’ Flickr page.

“In COM 220, we have a variety of projects centered around media creation. Having the dance students participate allowed us to create media that can live beyond the four walls of the classroom,” said Negin. “In addition, the short photo documentaries on each dancer will allow students to develop their ability to tell stories.”  

“I think this was a great opportunity for collaboration and creativity,” said Jen Guy Metcalf, assistant professor of dance, who coordinated the photo sessions with Negin. “It was exciting to watch our students work together and create something that connects their majors. There were some exciting moments when the dancers and photographers captured incredible shots and it was really gratifying to witness that. I look forward to more projects like this in the future.”

Eleven dancers who participated in the photo sessions are enrolled in this semester’s “Senior Seminar in Dance,” the capstone experience for the senior dance major. The seniors plan to use the images as part of their professional portfolios, according to Metcalf, who co-teaches the seminar with Karl Green, assistant professor of performing arts.

Additionally, Metcalf invited seven first-year students, with majors ranging from performance and choreography, dance science, and music theatre, to attend.