{ "148629-21904545": { "datetime_modified":"20260909T181653", "datetime_start":"20260918T193000", "datetime_end":"20260918T203000", "has_end_time":1, "date_start":"2026-09-18", "date_end":"2026-09-18", "time_start":"19:30:00", "time_end":"20:30:00", "time_zone":"America\/Detroit", "event_title":"\u201cChanging Channels\u201d \u2013 MFA Thesis Dance Concert by Lauren Blair Smith", "occurrence_title":"", "combined_title":"\u201cChanging Channels\u201d \u2013 MFA Thesis Dance Concert by Lauren Blair Smith", "event_subtitle":"", "event_type":"Performance", "event_type_id":"15", "description":"The Department of Dance proudly presents *Changing Channels*, an innovative and original dance thesis concert directed and choreographed by Master of Fine Arts in Dance candidate Lauren Blair Smith. Performances will be held on September 18 and 19 at 7:30pm.\n\nAdmission to the event is free. Tickets will be available at the door starting one hour prior to each show, with doors opening 30 minutes before showtime each night.\n\n*Changing Channels* explores the psychological and physical experience of code-switching through a dynamic blend of contemporary choreography, original music production by Singaporean producer Alif Aircho, and multimedia elements. Using the metaphor of switching television channels, this performance navigates different emotional states, societal expectations, and the complex journey of identity.\n\n*Changing Channels* is supported in part through the EXCEL Enterprise Fund, SMTD Wellness Program, Office of Academic Multicultural Initiatives, and William Braddan McClellan, Jr. Fund in Dance. This concert is being held in partial fulfillment of the Master of Fine Arts in Dance degree requirements.\n\nABOUT THE ARTIST\n\nLAUREN BLAIR SMITH (Director & Choreographer) is a professional performing artist, producer, choreographer, and the very proud founder and artistic director of Lauren Blair Smith Dance Company in Singapore where she mentors, assists, and, most importantly, participates in the development and joy of young aspiring artists. Lauren is the 2024 Maggie Allesee Choreography Award Winner in Screendance and has been a finalist for multiple years.\n\nLauren holds a BFA in Contemporary Dance with a minor in Arts Entrepreneurship from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts and is currently pursuing her MFA from the University of Michigan. Lauren is a Kenan Fellow at Lincoln Center Education, an American Ballet Theatre Certified Teacher, an Ailey Certified Teacher, and founder of Singapore Dance Intensive.\n\nLauren performed on the Broadway National Tour of *Fiddler on the Roof* in over 400 performances in over 100 cities across North America. She promoted wellness through movement (as a certified Pilates instructor) at venues including Marina Bay Sands, Artyzen Singapore, Parkroyal Collection Pickering, and The American Club Singapore. Lauren\u2019s choreography has been featured in the US, Singapore, Indonesia, Taiwan, Portugal, and Australia and has received prestigious recognition from international festivals. Lauren has also enjoyed successful collaborations with organizations such as Panasonic, Google, Jewel Changi Airport, TEDx Procter & Gamble, Certis Group, X System International, and Singapore American School. \n\nwww.laurenblairsmith.com", "occurrence_notes":null, "guid":"148629-21904545@events.umich.edu", "permalink":"http:\/\/events.umich.edu\/event\/148629", "building_id":"null", "building_name":"Dance Building", "campus_maps_id":"46", "room":"Dance Performance Studio Theatre", "location_name":"Dance Building", "has_livestream":0, "cost":"Free - Tickets Required", "tags":["Dance","Concert","North Campus","Media","Free"], "website":"https:\/\/smtd.umich.edu\/live-stream-dance\/", "sponsors":[ { "group_name":"School of Music, Theatre & Dance (SMTD)", "group_id":"155", "website":"http:\/\/smtd.umich.edu\/events" }, { "group_name":"Office of Academic Multicultural Initiatives (OAMI)", "group_id":"1012", "website":"" }, { "group_name":"EXCEL Lab", "group_id":"5318", "website":"" } ], "image_url":"https:\/\/events.umich.edu\/media\/attachments\/2026\/08\/event_148629_original-2.jpg", "styled_images":{ "event_thumb":"https:\/\/events.umich.edu\/media\/cache\/resolve\/event_thumb\/media\/attachments\/2026\/08\/event_148629_original-2.jpg", "event_large":"https:\/\/events.umich.edu\/media\/cache\/event_large\/media\/attachments\/2026\/08\/event_148629_original-2.jpg", "event_large_2x":"https:\/\/events.umich.edu\/media\/cache\/resolve\/event_large_2x\/media\/attachments\/2026\/08\/event_148629_original-2.jpg", "event_large_lightbox":"https:\/\/events.umich.edu\/media\/cache\/event_large_lightbox\/media\/attachments\/2026\/08\/event_148629_original-2.jpg", "group_thumb":"https:\/\/events.umich.edu\/media\/cache\/resolve\/group_thumb\/media\/attachments\/2026\/08\/event_148629_original-2.jpg", "group_thumb_square":"https:\/\/events.umich.edu\/media\/cache\/resolve\/group_thumb_square\/media\/attachments\/2026\/08\/event_148629_original-2.jpg", "group_large":"https:\/\/events.umich.edu\/media\/cache\/resolve\/group_large\/media\/attachments\/2026\/08\/event_148629_original-2.jpg", "group_large_lightbox":"https:\/\/events.umich.edu\/media\/cache\/resolve\/group_large_lightbox\/media\/attachments\/2026\/08\/event_148629_original-2.jpg", "event_large_crop":"https:\/\/events.umich.edu\/media\/cache\/resolve\/event_large_crop\/media\/attachments\/2026\/08\/event_148629_original-2.jpg", "event_list":"https:\/\/events.umich.edu\/media\/cache\/resolve\/event_list\/media\/attachments\/2026\/08\/event_148629_original-2.jpg", "event_list_2x":"https:\/\/events.umich.edu\/media\/cache\/event_list_2x\/media\/attachments\/2026\/08\/event_148629_original-2.jpg", "event_grid":"https:\/\/events.umich.edu\/media\/cache\/event_grid\/media\/attachments\/2026\/08\/event_148629_original-2.jpg", "event_grid_2x":"https:\/\/events.umich.edu\/media\/cache\/resolve\/event_grid_2x\/media\/attachments\/2026\/08\/event_148629_original-2.jpg", "event_feature_large":"https:\/\/events.umich.edu\/media\/cache\/resolve\/event_feature_large\/media\/attachments\/2026\/08\/event_148629_original-2.jpg", "event_feature_thumb":"https:\/\/events.umich.edu\/media\/cache\/resolve\/event_feature_thumb\/media\/attachments\/2026\/08\/event_148629_original-2.jpg" }, "occurrence_count":1, "first_occurrence":21904545 } , "151173-21911034": { "datetime_modified":"20260830T135210", "datetime_start":"20260918T193000", "datetime_end":"20260918T210000", "has_end_time":1, "date_start":"2026-09-18", "date_end":"2026-09-18", "time_start":"19:30:00", "time_end":"21:00:00", "time_zone":"America\/Detroit", "event_title":"UMS presents: Sofa Stories: Stories on Stage and Screen", "occurrence_title":"", "combined_title":"UMS presents: Sofa Stories: Stories on Stage and Screen", "event_subtitle":"", "event_type":"Performance", "event_type_id":"15", "description":"Real experiences. Real Voices. Real Stories. Detroit\u2019s acclaimed Sofa Stories theater project comes to Ypsilanti for the first time.\n\nFeaturing three short films interspersed with original monologues, Sofa Stories amplifies the stories of young people impacted by housing insecurity or homelessness who may have resorted to couch-surfing as a means to survive. Hear moments of joy, resilience, and connection, and not just hardship \u2014 the person who showed up for them, or the person working inside a difficult system who genuinely cared.\n\nThrough the power of theater and film, Every Soul Arts inspires empathy, dialogue, and community action. \u201cIf there\u2019s one thing I\u2019ve learned from the young people I work with, it\u2019s that they\u2019re remarkably resilient and resourceful\u2026and that\u2019s a lesson worth learning from.\u201d \u2014 Andrew Morton, Artistic Director and Sofa Stories creator", "occurrence_notes":null, "guid":"151173-21911034@events.umich.edu", "permalink":"http:\/\/events.umich.edu\/event\/151173", "building_id":"null", "building_name":"Off Campus Location", "campus_maps_id":"1", "room":"", "location_name":"Ypsilanti Freighthouse (100 Market Place, Ypsilanti)", "has_livestream":0, "cost":"Pay what you wish pricing begins at $5 for advance reservations", "tags":["Film Screening","Storytelling","Theater","UMS","Ypsilanti Freighthouse"], "website":"https:\/\/ums.org\/performance\/sofa-stories-stories-on-stage-and-screen\/", "sponsors":[ { "group_name":"University Musical Society (UMS)", "group_id":"1141", "website":"" }, { "group_name":"Arts Initiative", "group_id":"4583", "website":"" } ], "image_url":"https:\/\/events.umich.edu\/media\/attachments\/2026\/08\/event_151173_original-2.png", "styled_images":{ "event_thumb":"https:\/\/events.umich.edu\/media\/cache\/event_thumb\/media\/attachments\/2026\/08\/event_151173_original-2.png", "event_large":"https:\/\/events.umich.edu\/media\/cache\/event_large\/media\/attachments\/2026\/08\/event_151173_original-2.png", "event_large_2x":"https:\/\/events.umich.edu\/media\/cache\/resolve\/event_large_2x\/media\/attachments\/2026\/08\/event_151173_original-2.png", "event_large_lightbox":"https:\/\/events.umich.edu\/media\/cache\/event_large_lightbox\/media\/attachments\/2026\/08\/event_151173_original-2.png", "group_thumb":"https:\/\/events.umich.edu\/media\/cache\/resolve\/group_thumb\/media\/attachments\/2026\/08\/event_151173_original-2.png", "group_thumb_square":"https:\/\/events.umich.edu\/media\/cache\/resolve\/group_thumb_square\/media\/attachments\/2026\/08\/event_151173_original-2.png", "group_large":"https:\/\/events.umich.edu\/media\/cache\/resolve\/group_large\/media\/attachments\/2026\/08\/event_151173_original-2.png", "group_large_lightbox":"https:\/\/events.umich.edu\/media\/cache\/resolve\/group_large_lightbox\/media\/attachments\/2026\/08\/event_151173_original-2.png", "event_large_crop":"https:\/\/events.umich.edu\/media\/cache\/resolve\/event_large_crop\/media\/attachments\/2026\/08\/event_151173_original-2.png", "event_list":"https:\/\/events.umich.edu\/media\/cache\/resolve\/event_list\/media\/attachments\/2026\/08\/event_151173_original-2.png", "event_list_2x":"https:\/\/events.umich.edu\/media\/cache\/event_list_2x\/media\/attachments\/2026\/08\/event_151173_original-2.png", "event_grid":"https:\/\/events.umich.edu\/media\/cache\/event_grid\/media\/attachments\/2026\/08\/event_151173_original-2.png", "event_grid_2x":"https:\/\/events.umich.edu\/media\/cache\/resolve\/event_grid_2x\/media\/attachments\/2026\/08\/event_151173_original-2.png", "event_feature_large":"https:\/\/events.umich.edu\/media\/cache\/resolve\/event_feature_large\/media\/attachments\/2026\/08\/event_151173_original-2.png", "event_feature_thumb":"https:\/\/events.umich.edu\/media\/cache\/event_feature_thumb\/media\/attachments\/2026\/08\/event_151173_original-2.png" }, "occurrence_count":1, "first_occurrence":21911034 } }