Follow the 'Trail' to something entirely new

The Tufts Department of Drama and Dance will present "Trail—A Contemporary Dance Performance" December 6 and 7 at 8 p.m. in Balch Arena Theater.

Directed by faculty member and well-known choreographer Daniel McCusker, "Trail" was created in collaboration with the Tufts Performance Ensemble whose members have developed movement in response to images and verbal descriptions from dance history. McCusker has likened his idea of using resources from the past to "following a trail of clues to arrive at something new."

McCusker has trained, choreographed and taught in a variety of locations in the Northeast. In New York, he presented his own work and danced with Lucinda Childs. He also has performed in Europe. He is now an independent choreographer who teaches at Tufts, Holy Cross and the Dance Complex.

Some materials and methods of the past that have inspired McCusker and his students include images of key figures in the history of dance, and visual "scores" consisting of a series of poses and verbal "materials," including descriptions of dances from the past. Having grappled with these materials on their own terms, McCusker and his dancers took this newly formed material and proceeded to fragment it further, taking more and more steps away from the original. Having drawn from the past, "Trail" has emerged as something entirely new.

The performance is free and open to the public. For more information, call (617) 627-2556.