The history of contemporary dance and unique modern methods can be viewed as the Martha Graham Dance Company takes the stage at Van Meter Auditorium this Wednesday.

This event is presented by the Cultural Enhancement Series and will be free of charge to the entirety of the WKU and Bowling Green community. The CES committee has also organized for the Martha Graham Dance Company to do a master class for WKU dance students.

Associate professor and dance program coordinator Amanda Clark is helping coordinate the master class taught by a company member to WKU dance majors and students, as well as the company’s warm-up class prior to its performance. Clark hopes this performance will bring awareness to WKU’s own dance program.

The Martha Graham Dance Company is based in New York and been around since 1926. Graham lived well into her 90s and continued choreographing until the very end of her life.

“Martha Graham was a pioneer of modern dance,” Clark said. “By viewing this performance, one will be exposed to the rich history of this dance genre and to the unique Graham technique and approach.”

It can be difficult to view professional dance in the area, Clark said.

“It’s so important when you say you want to be a professional dancer to have the opportunity to see the very best,” said David Young, the department head of theatre and dance and CES committee member. “You learn so much by seeing the very best do what they do.”

The CES committee has been talking about bringing a top-of-the-line, nationally known dance company to WKU for quite some time, Young said. 

Both Clark and the CES committee hope students and community members will take advantage of this opportunity to see professional dance on a concert stage.

“This is an invaluable experience for those students who are studying the arts at WKU but also for the entire university and surrounding community,” Clark said. 

This free event will take place on Feb. 3 at 7 p.m. in Van Meter Auditorium.