Dances created by two students at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point took top honors at the American College Dance Festival Association (ACDFA) regional event.

Choreographers Candace Jablonski, New Berlin, and Edward Oroyan, Green Bay, were among 13 students who had work selected from among the 60 pieces entered at the ACDFA sponsored Great Lakes Region Festival held at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The ACDFA supports dance in higher education by sponsoring regional and national dance festivals.

"A little of this, A little of that," choreographed by Jablonski, was performed at the end of the first half of the Festival Gala and "Golfball Hunting," choreographed by Oroyan, was performed as the final piece in the show.

The three and one half day event was attended by students and faculty members from 36 colleges and universities in the eight-state region.

ACDFA national competitions are held every two years, and this year, the regional winners are considered to be at the top of the competition. When a national competition is held, regional winners compete in Washington, D.C. Last year a dance choreographed and performed by Oroyan and his wife, Tracie, was chosen as an alternate for the national festival.

Adjudicators for the festival were Donald McKayle, Los Angeles; Elizabeth Streb, New York; and Doug Varone, New York. All three adjudicators are nationally known. Varone�s company includes UWSP alumna Adrianne Fang. The judges do not know who the performers are or where they are from until after the competition.

Oroyan�s idea for "Golfball Hunting" was inspired by a desire to pull the audience directly into the action. The choreography has a martial arts twist.

Jablonski�s piece, done without music, relies on the rhythms, voices and personalities of the performers and also includes audience participation.

In addition to choreography, Jablonski and Oroyan did costume design for their pieces.

Oroyan is the son of Jack and Jean Bonow, 505 Pine Terrace, Green Bay. A 1996 graduate of Green Bay Southwest High School, he is a senior dance major. He has previously choreographed several works for UWSP productions and has had choreography in the ACDFA competition for the past two years.

Jablonski is the daughter of Pam and Bill Jablonski, 2850 S. 126 St., New Berlin. A 1998 graduate of Nathan Hale High School, West Allis, she is a junior dance major with a minor in business. She has choreographed and performed in several previous UWSP productions and was on the faculties of Dance Masters of Wisconsin and the Stevens Point Arts Camp.

Both pieces will be performed locally at "Danstage �01," UWSP�s annual dance concert, in Jenkins Theatre of the Fine Arts Center on Friday, May 4, at 8 p.m.; Saturday, May 5, at 7:30; Sunday, May 6 at 2 p.m.; and Thursday through Saturday, May 10 to 12 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets for the performance may be purchased at the Arts and Athletics Ticket Office in Quandt Fieldhouse Lobby or by phone at (715) 346-4100 or 800-838-3378. Admission is $10 for adults, $9 for senior citizens, $6 for youth and $3 for students with a UWSP ID.

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