Sports Production class steps beyond the playing field to livestream dance performances

A recent interdisciplinary project allowed students from Elon’s School of Communications and the Department of Performing Arts to combine their talents, blending technical broadcasting expertise with artistic expression. The project involved students in the Sports Production class, led by Assistant Professor of Cinema & Television Arts Max Negin, livestreaming the fall semester’s culminating performances for the Dance Composition II and III classes.

The concept originated from a collaboration between Negin, Associate Professor of Dance Jen Guy Metcalf, and Assistant Professor of Performing Arts Elijah Motley. The result was a partnership that provided valuable learning opportunities for students from both disciplines, requiring Sports Production students to move beyond their typical focus on sports broadcasting to create a dynamic, multi-camera livestream for the mid-November performances.

“There were numerous benefits of this collaboration,” Negin said. “A project like this gets students to think critically and apply theoretical knowledge to a real-world scenario – one they aren’t completely familiar with. Most of my students have some experience with live events in the form of sports, but this was something different. This project pushed them out of their comfort zone.”

Dance Composition II and III are core courses for dance performance & choreography majors, culminating in the presentation of solo (Composition II) or group (Composition III) choreography. These final projects, traditionally performed for live audiences, gained an expanded reach this semester through the collaboration with Negin’s class.

“Providing a livestream option for the performance was a great way to make the production more accessible,” Metcalf said. “We had faculty, staff, friends, family and alumni in attendance. There were even some colleagues from other university dance programs who joined us online. These people could not attend in person on campus, and I’m grateful we could provide a way for them to join us in cyberspace.”

For Sports Production students, preparing for the event involved months of classwork, where they developed skills in camera operation, scriptwriting and sound design. The livestream challenged them to devise creative solutions to obstacles like camera placement and audio troubleshooting.

“The challenge was to visually tell the story of the performance while creating compelling sound design to give viewers the best seat in the house,” Negin said. “We discussed many scenarios in class and broke them down, but to actually solve those riddles, produce content, and troubleshoot in real time is a wonderful learning experience.”

Interdisciplinary projects help bridge gaps between disciplines, creating opportunities for students, faculty and staff to explore new avenues of creativity and learning. But these projects need support, which Negin said came in many forms this semester.

The communications professor thanked several colleagues, including Dallas Smith, John Spitznagel, Luis Silva and Suzanne Lucas, for their guidance getting the project off the ground. Their support included providing access to resources, spaces and equipment, as well as insights into campus technology, which can foster new ways to engage with students in the future.

Having collaborated on previous projects, Metcalf and Negin both champion the inherent rewards of interdisciplinary projects.

“Working with faculty in other disciplines opens up new worlds of creativity,” Negin said. “Dance reminds me of directing for film and television, with its emphasis on connecting performers and crew to bring a vision to life. For our students, this environment expands their understanding of how their skills can be used in unique ways.”

Metcalf added, “I love collaborating with people from a variety of disciplines because we learn from each other and create something we could not do alone. It was a bonus that we could share our students’ work with members of the Elon community and beyond.”

All photos courtesy of Aidan Blake ’26.