WKU News

From November 21 through November 23 on the stage of Van Meter Auditorium, the WKU Department of Theatre and Dance will bring bright colors and high energy to the stage with WinterDance: Candyland Adventures. The production turns the classic board game into a live performance that blends character work, rhythm, and fast movement.

Associate Professor of Dance Meghen McKinley said the idea started with a simple suggestion from a student. “A student had tossed out an idea of Candy Land,” she said. “We began our research and knew this would be an exciting nostalgic concept that gave the choreographers and dancers a wide range of fun ideas.”

McKinley and the creative team built the show by studying the game’s characters and the journey the players take. An original narration guides the audience through each stop on the board. Projections, music, narration, costumes, props, and set pieces support the theme. “There are a lot of literal moving parts,” she said. “All elements of a fully produced production are in effect. Music, costumes, props, and set pieces are vital to the Candy Land atmosphere.”

Junior Amaya Huse Holt, a Dance major from Radcliff, Kentucky, said the theme immediately caught her attention. “I was really excited because the concept of the whole show is so cute and wholesome,” she said. The familiarity of Candy Land adds a layer of connection for both dancers and audiences. “It has a special sense of nostalgia, which makes the whole experience feel more personal and fun.”

Sophomore Abbey Luellman, a Dance and Exercise Science double major from Columbus, Ohio, had a similar reaction. She pictured bright colors and fast movement from the moment she heard the theme. “It lets us bring a lighthearted, childlike energy to the stage while focusing on storytelling through movement,” she said.

Both students said the rehearsal process demanded focus and stamina. Luellman starts each session by stretching and clearing her mind. Huse Holt reviews choreography before she enters the studio, so she can stay sharp and ready.

Each dancer faced a piece that required additional practice and work. For Luellman, the challenge came in the tap section, “Gramma Nut and Friends”. “Getting the timing and rhythmic qualities correct took repetition,” she said. Huse Holt spent weeks learning how to control a yoga ball in the “Sour Patch” piece. “Trying to dance while coordinating the ball was tough at first,” she said. “It took a lot of practice to get the timing and control down.”

McKinley said the students’ commitment keeps the production moving. “Their excitement, investment, and hard work allow them to show how talented they are technically and as collaborators,” she said. She values the teamwork that forms across the cast. Frequent communication between dancers, choreographers, and designers supports the production from start to finish.