At 7 p.m. on Thursday, April 13 and Friday, April 14, the Regina A. Quick Center for the Arts will present We, a two-night indoor and outdoor creative dance experience that combines choreography by Emmanuèle Phuon and Emily Coates with spoken word, video, and installation to present a multi-artist hybrid performance/lecture.

The performance of We shines a comparative spotlight on humankind’s relationship with the natural world. Integrated with the sciences — notably physics and astronomy — We will feature guest appearances by College of Arts and Sciences physics professor Christian Pierre, PhD, and University Dance Ensemble members Madeline (Maddy) Kitlas ’24, Riley Nicholson ’24, and Elliot Enriquez ’25.

The Fairfield undergraduates are thrilled to take part in this unique event. “I am so honored,” Riley Nicholson said. “I have been dancing since age two, and never imagined being part of a professional performance.”

Dancing alongside professionals will also be a new experience for Maddy Kitlas, although she spent many childhood summers learning from professional ballet dancers and world-renowned teachers at the Bolshoi Ballet Academy. “I am looking forward to the rehearsal process and performances,” said Kitlas. “I love sharing my craft with an audience and feel at home on the stage.”

The April 13 evening performance will begin indoors, with Emmanuèle Phuon sharing the story of learning about her father and family in Cambodia, before guiding the audience outside to watch the sunset with Emily Coates and Dr. Pierre Christian; live music by acclaimed composer and violinist Charlie Burnham will accompany their insights about cosmos-inspired dance through the ages.

This will be Dr. Christian’s second time appearing in a Quick Center performance with Coates and Phuon. He described his participation as “mostly improvised” and said that his role in We evolved “from roundtable conversations about science and the arts” with the dancers and biology professor James Biardi, PhD. “I have invited some of my students to attend the performance,” Dr. Christian noted, “and I am excited to learn what they think of it!”

The evening of April 14 will commence outside with the dance ensemble students and Phuon in a choreographed exploration of humankind’s impact on nature and vice versa. The audience will then be guided indoors for a continued conversation about dance and science, during which Coates and the dancers will perform onstage, accompanied by  Burnham.

“I am incredibly lucky to have this opportunity to perform with Emily Coates and Emmanuèle Phuon,” said Elliot Enriquez. “Most of all, I am looking forward to channeling my dance training in a new way. I believe that this piece will challenge me to break away from my typical dancing and learn about a new avenue of dance.”

Each evening of We is unique and can be experienced as a single evening or a two-night package. Coates and Phuon began collaborating on this work with College of Arts and Sciences faculty members during their time as Quick Center Artists in Residence in the spring of 2022.  Learn more about the professional dancers at quickcenter.com.

Tickets for We are on sale now at quickcenter.com for $50 to attend both performances and $30 to attend only one evening, or $30 for Quick Members to attend both performances and $20 to attend only one evening. Tickets can also be purchased by contacting the Quick Center Box Office at 203-254-4010, Monday through Friday, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.