(DETROIT, June 10, 2010) - Wayne State University faculty members of the College of Fine Performing and Communication Arts present a work-in-process titled Spero Meliora, a visually stunning performance of dance, interactive multi-media with live original music exploring civic life and urban revitalization of Detroit performed in-the-round at the Detroit Institute of Arts. This innovative interdisciplinary collaborative dance performance involves the creative team of Detroit and New York-based choreographer J.M. Rebudal, with multi-media artists Kelly Gottesman and Chris Mendoza, composer Jon Anderson, scenic designer Pegi Marshall and costumes designer Mary Copenhagen.

Spero Meliora is the culmination of a two-week intensive choreographic residency, from June 8th through the 18th, crafting a work-in-process to be performed by dancers and musicians creating a visual and aural environment where performers will physically alter the performance space by triggering a digital landscape comprised of video and audio from multiple sources including pre-processed (archived clips) and live-processed (live
mixing). The immersive environment created unfolds a visual journey building a collage/montage of Detroit's past and its current climate in a non-linear real-time abstraction performed in a non-traditional performance space.

The creative choreographic process involves movement exploration addressing issues and developments about civic life and urban revitalization in Detroit. Some of the questions are: What is Detroit today? How do Detroiters feel about the city's urban renewal? What is the perspective of Detroit outside of the city? Why does history continue to negatively influence perception of Detroit? How do people feel regarding the urban blight of the city? What is being done to revitalize Detroit and the community? Information gained from some of these questions is discussed and are at the crux of the exploration for movement and dance improvisation. From this, dance movement material is devised, thus eventually weaving sections of the dance, technology, abstract set pieces and costumes to make an evening length work.

Also on the program is Beauty Mirrored (Echoe & Amenius), a duet based upon the Greek myth of the Narcissus that abstractly explores through movement the effects of one person's action, or non-action, on others.

The world premier of Spero Meliora is scheduled for 2011 in Detroit and New York. This interdisciplinary project is partnered with the Detroit Institute of Arts and Michigan Opera Theatre with funding by a Research Enhancement Program in the Arts grant from Wayne State's Office of the Vice President of Research.

Wayne State University is a premier urban research university offering more than 350 academic programs through 13 schools and colleges to nearly 32,000 students.