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USC theater and speec From Staff Reports Qirwro ite I., 10TC tUo I ICP 1 k/mw no vi vanuii in 17 ( j, niv, uov/ L/auvt v^uiii^auy uaa grown to 50 members, performing a variety of works ranging from Shakespeare to original ballets created by the company's leaders. The creative force behind its development is Susan Earle, director and choreographer of the group. A professional dancer with the Los Angeles Dance Theatre before moving to Columbia in 1975, she began teaching at USC through the College of Health and Physical Education. Her position as an assistant professor was moved to the Department of Theatre and Speech in 1978. EARLE BEGAN dancing lessons at age five when her mother grew tired of picking up broken china that had been shattered by her daughter's erratic movements. "I just wanted to entertain," she said. She became serious about dance at age 13 and studied in Europe, where her father was stationed with the Army. At 14, Earle won a part for a summer tour with the Ballet Celeste of San Francisco. Earle started the USC Dance Company on a $200 budget. Its performances were staged at the Booker T. Washington auditorium, and the College of Library and Information Science. She had no scenery, special lights or costumes for the concerts. "It was like, 'Let's put on a show,' like Mickey Rooney and Judy Garland did in the barn" in movies, Earle said. VERY FEW of the men and women who were members of the company in those days had much formal dance training, she said. She used to go down the hall in the Solomon Blatt Physical Education Center, where she had her office and ask whomever she saw, "Would you like to be in a ballet?" Now there are 50 members of the USC Dance Company, 10 of whom are men, with years of training in ballet and other dance forms. "The company is open to everyone" ? students, faculty and community members," Earle said. She emphasized the theater department's role in helping the dance company stage its performances. The staff, faculty and students in the costume and production areas have built sets, handled the lighting and sewn clothing for the company's concerts. Costume shop foreman Vivian Brooks has designed the costumes for the company's major ballets. At first, the Dance Company produced one performance a year. In 1978, the members performed their first full-length ballet, an updated version of "Firebird," by Stravinsky. THE, COMPANY'S first original ballet was performed the following year. Earle choreographed Shakespeare's comedy, wasc SPORTS PRESENTS BLEACHER SEAT i THIS SUNDAY NIGHT FROM 8 to 9 PM SPORTS GUEST WILL BE BOB FULTON, 1 GAMECOCKS. JOIN SCOTT WILLBORN GINBOTHAM FOR THE LATEST IN SCOR OUR DISCUSSION WITH BOB FULTON. BLEACHER SEAT 714, EACH SUNDAY EVENING, EXCULSIVEL^ ADUVDAW S"Afc MSMTI! %MT PUT YOU AHEAD THE CROWD. AJJiny Arms RO~T('to i* vour coIIclio education can ^iw :1aL._ fftJJ? you .t competitive ed^e. $1$|jpy<^ major. Arm\ ROTC ' training in.miiitk^vi nit tot ill le.irnini: confidence and decMonanakin^ and knowledge \ou can use m11it;ir\. And in civilian lite. " /\ 1^ )ic"* j v srln >l;irshin opportunities and r r i financial assistance too. Bur, mi>sr im{x>rtantly, Army I you graduate with both a college decree and <i commiss today's Army, which includes the Army Reserve and N C niard. So come our ahead hy enrolling in Army ROT( information contact the Professor of Military Science. ARMY ROTC. Bl CALL: CI h professor enhances dc d?B?fe jl Siit T^BI /I ijnggjHj iWB^ 'Let's put on a show' Susan Earle has developed the (JSC Dance Company into a stron "The Taming of the Shrew," using music students to help her coordinate the music with the dance numbers. p Columbia artist Blue Sky wrote and designed a full-length F ballet called "Planet Dance" for the company in 1981. And ^ last spring, Earle wrote and choreographed a ballet called "Seasons of Life" to Vivaldi's music, "The Four Seasons." This year, the company's fall dance concert will feature a ballet called "Pleasures of Paris," including a 15-minute cancan number. It also will spotlight a spiritual piece, a jazz number and an avant-garde oolitical Diece bv new dance facul ty member Wrenn Sapp. ri* I ATTENT AS OUR SPECIAL 131 * HE VOICE OF THE I ill?? SlC AND JIMMY HIG- I ES, STORIES, AND I TH? ,on ""SJ J Student Sp? ? * '1 I Three rooms of ba H I (^uan^*es 1 ^3t# Per ?1? | w ^ month ; , plus tax and insuranc< U )T(: lets (just up from 5-Poi ion in 799-6866 Jational lor more | E ALL YOU CAN BE. I Bring this coupon w [>T PARSONS I for free delivery 7-f>r>4:* L.? ., ince company H f f Be ^ -|f H^bvv.. *^|k|HH - M Bt 1 IHHH ^Hp': * ml HBp,.' .jfjji MBBMBaHI^B^^MMMBBB^^ i^H ?.:- j g program. OVER THE years, the Dance Company has been invited to >articipate in several prestigious events, including Spoleto restival U.S.A. in 1983. It also has participated in Columbia's /layfest celebration. The fall concert will be held at 8 p.m. Nov. 2-6 at Longstreet Theatre. Tickets will cost $4 for Nov. 2, 3 and 6 and $4.50 for the performances Nov. 4 and 5. Season tickets cost $20. For information on tickets for the dance concerts, call Longstreet Theatre box office at 777-2551/2552 between 12 and 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday. ION STUDENTS! >oms of Furniture The jcial I Student Special II sics Three complete rooms d) of furniture $4ft?? IS Per 1 0 month plus tax and insurance We've supplied students with rental mr furniture for the past ^ 12 years and are the l q only company to offer 11?7 a 100% customer Ci/ satisfaction guarantee. \\ Next Day Delivery, if in by noon n i ^ ? ? - rurunase vjpuon with NO Finance Charge in half! pree Apartment Locator Service 1ETROLEASE litureRentals I >nue 1506 Morninghill Drive ints) (1-126 Bush River Road Exit) 798-6664 free delivery ?OUPON hen you rent your furniture and you qualify I when you present validated student I.D. mTrmnwMwniri?nnnriiniMiiniBiiii iiinwiifTiTin?nTwmn in?n?rinn?nrw>nii?n i -umnmmr