Every fall (FADE) and spring (SADE), the Appalachian Dance Ensemble becomes the creative laboratory for the Dance Studies faculty and students. As faculty begin to dream about what type of dance that they would like to create, upper-level students audition to choreograph for their peers. The creative process continues as large numbers of students vie for approximately 45-50 roles. Throughout each semester, rehearsals for 6-8 different dances are held in the evenings and weekends which bring the new works to life. The original choreography for the Ensemble is primarily modern, with influences from ballet, jazz, and pop culture. Dances range from abstract to expressionistic, to rhythmic works of sheer physical energy. The ensemble is a concert for young and old alike, as it exudes the joy of dance.
Auditions for both concerts are open to all interested students and are held in the fall (early in the semester each fall and spring semester. The range of choreography for both concerts is eclectic and includes works by faculty, advanced students, and guest choreographers. Student choreographers are chosen by audition.