For the past two decades, Belmont University's dance minor program has cultivated a vibrant, close-knit community of movers and creators. This weekend, the program will mark a major milestone with the 20th anniversary performance of its signature Mixed Bill showcase with “Mixed Bill XX.”
"Mixed Bill is a celebration and culmination of what the dance program is and what it offers to students," explained alumna Brittany Reese (‘14). "I'm constantly blown away by how the strengths of every dancer are really highlighted, accounting for a diverse range of dance backgrounds. The faculty bring everyone together and put together a cohesive thing that makes everyone look good. That in and of itself is a celebration of what the program is and what it teaches students."
The Mixed Bill show is a diverse repertoire featuring a range of dance styles - from tap and jazz to ballet and modern. But beyond just a display of technical mastery, the production weaves together powerful storytelling and a profound sense of ensemble.
As a first-time participant this year, junior BFA theater performance major and dance minor Laura Walker is thrilled to be part of the longstanding tradition and to join in on some of the well-known storytelling pieces within the program.
“Black Dress One,” for example, is the first in a series of three dances that tell the story of the black dress in America. The evolution starts in the late 1800s where women had to wear black while in mourning, moves to the first black dress mass produced and modeled after Audrey Hepburn’s ensemble in “Breakfast at Tiffany’s,” and finally dives into the modern-day concept of the little black dress.
“Sometimes I find storytelling ideas in strange places. The inspiration for the black dress sequence came from an encounter with a friend lending me a little black dress, and I thought, ‘Why is it that women all seem have a favorite little black dress? How does it make people feel?’” explained Debbie Belue, director of Belmont's dance minor and the driving force behind Mixed Bill. “We talk with students a lot about what they feel and what things mean to them. It’s my challenge each year to find new ways to present the work that keeps it interesting for the students, finding themes they can relate to in this day and time.”
Another storytelling piece is the “Good Foot” tap dance – exploring what it might be like if someone had one good foot, and one bad foot that had a mind of its own.
“There are some exciting stories within the show – some that are thoughtful, some that are high energy and some that are more inward and introspective. Every single piece has its own unique story that we focus on bringing forward for everyone to enjoy, appreciate and ruminate on,” Walker explained. “The love and joy for movement, dance and storytelling infused through Debbie and the rest of the instructors that pull the show together really shines on stage, and I’m honored to be a part of that.”
For the 20th anniversary, Mixed Bill XX will feature revivals of works from the program's storied past. This nod to Belmont's dance lineage is especially meaningful to students like junior Joy Huff, who is performing in five numbers this year.
"All these pieces are beautifully crafted, and it’s a highlight reel of Debbie’s best work – dances that have been special to the program,” Huff explained. "Knowing that I get to leave a legacy, as well as join in on the legacy that's already been made, is just so special."
Black Dress One Rehearsal
Debbie Belue
At the heart of the program and the artistry of the show is Debbie Belue, who has shepherded the program's growth from a small handful of students in 2004 to a thriving hub of creativity and community today.
Belue said the program has grown exponentially since it started, but so, too, has she.
“I’ve grown as a teacher, choreographer and artist. It’s been a good place for me to dig into my artistic side, but also the educational side of it where I have to continually find ways to improve and communicate my ideas,” Belue reflected. “Every group of students is different when they walk in the door. It’s been a process to learn each semester how to communicate with the people in the room in where they are right now.”
But she does. She finds a way to connect with students in new and fresh ways year after year, and the students and alumna of the program attest to it. She relishes the process of working with each group to bring a piece of art to life, viewing their personalities, their feelings and their stories as the clay she has the honor of molding.
“Just in the past three years of taking classes from her, I have become a completely different dancer than I used to be. She’s kind and understanding, but she is also able to make you work hard for what you want to accomplish and helps you achieve your goals,” said Walker.
The close-knit dance community Belue has cultivated is just as impactful as her skilled teaching. Huff describes joining the program as "the best decision I’ve made in my life” - a supportive, non-competitive space where everyone uplifts one another.
“Some of the best friendships I've gotten out of Belmont are from the dance community," Huff continued. “And though the audience sees our game faces on, backstage we are all so silly and goofy. We write little notes of support to each other at the end of Mixed Bill, and it’s so heartwarming to read those and realize how many friends I have there supporting me.”
Mixed Bill XX Dress Rehearsal
Preparation for the Dance of Life
Debbie’s nurturing yet challenging approach has left a lasting mark on alumni like Crystal Schaffer, a 2014 graduate who now teaches dance and English at a local high school. Schaffer continually finds herself asking, "What would Miss Debbie do?" when faced with decisions in her own career.
Schaffer said she always enjoyed when Debbie and other instructors like Maggie Pelton would grapple with movement and would have the students lay on the ground and wiggle their arms and legs. “From there, she would be like somebody who molds clay – she would kind of just shape things into existence. And, oftentimes, that gave me permission,” Schaffer reflected, equating her dance corrections to life-long advice.
“That while you're building your future, you don't have to have the brick walls, the details of the interiors and the colors, but you can have a strong foundation. The blueprints are sometimes enough to get you started. Then, when creativity taps in with the resources you provide and the environment, it creates this sense of magic.”
Debbie said her main job, really, is to help her students navigate the journey of becoming an adult, and dance is the perfect dress rehearsal to teach them the lessons of showing up, doing the work, making sure they have what they need and managing their time. She has her students keep journals to reflect on what their dances mean to them, how they represent what they’re going through and how they can best convey that story in their art.
Schaffer has told Debbie that she strives to be like her. She wants to be the calm in the chaos, embody being fully present in everything she does and bring a steady presence of peace and assuredness to her own students.
Reese encouraged current students to keep their journals and to pay attention to all the instructors offer them. “There’s so much Debbie would say in class where you think she’s talking about dance, but you walk away later and realize, ‘Oh, that was really good advice for my whole life,’” she reflected. “She’s constantly packing in those little pearls of wisdom. It was such a luxury to have mentors just pouring into us all the time.”
Huff agreed that the students learn many lessons through the program. “It's not just going on stage and performing and looking your best. It's also about your mindset and how you view the world,” she explained. "The history of dance is about expressing yourself, moving with others and learning to connect with others. I've learned so much about connection and knowing that we're dancing for something bigger than ourselves.”
A Foggy Day Rehearsal
As the curtain rises on Mixed Bill XX , the dancers will carry forward this powerful legacy of artistry, community and mentorship that has come to define Belmont's dance program.
For the students, alumni and faculty, it's a celebration not just of technical mastery, but of the indelible impact the program has had on their lives.