From a world premiere by acclaimed choreographer Bebe Miller to an exhibition of dance in the funny pages, Ohio State has an abundance of dance-related activities coming up.

Here’s a round-up:

Bebe Miller: Tracing History
(August 23-September 29)

Bebe Miller Company: A History
(September 27-30)

This summer The Ohio State University's Wexner Center for the Arts and Urban Arts Space offer points of entry to the work of choreographer Bebe Miller, faculty member in the Department of Dance and artistic director of the Bebe Miller Company. On view August 23−September 29 at Urban Arts Space, the exhibition Bebe Miller: Tracing History will complement the world premiere of Bebe Miller Company's next major work, A History, to be staged September 27−30 at the Wexner Center for the Arts.

The exhibition, curated by the Wexner Center's Jerry Dannemiller, explores Miller's choreographic processes through archival material, outlining her history of dance innovation from her earliest days as part of the downtown New York City contemporary dance scene to current investigations. The exhibition also features a new video installation work by Maya Ciarrocchi that will tour nationally in conjunction with performances of A History.

A History is an evening-length duet featuring longtime Bebe Miller Company dancers Angie Hauser (OSU MFA, 1999) and Darrell Jones, drawing upon their history of collaboration to generate fresh material. The duet illuminates Miller's process of dance-making, and was developed through a series of creative residencies supported by the Wexner Center Artist Residency Award program.
More on the exhibition. More on the performance.

Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum: Line Dancing
(September 5 - December 30)

The Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum will exhibit some of the most finely choreographed cartoons on paper in the dance-related exhibition Line Dancing, opening Wednesday, September 5, and continuing through Sunday, December 30. The exhibition is in the library’s Reading Room Gallery, 27 West 17th Ave Mall.

Image above: Howie Schneider (1930-2007). Eek and Meek (detail), January 16, 1983. Ink on paper. Howie Schneider Collection, The Ohio State University Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum.

Line Dancing surveys dance in cartoon art to celebrate the renovation of Sullivant Hall, the future home of both the Department of Dance and the Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum. The show includes a wide range of examples, from a 1788 print of A Cotillion, the precursor to the American Square-dance, to modern works like a jig being done by Charles Schulz’s Snoopy. Whether it’s a literal depiction of dance as an event, or the symbol of dance as metaphor, the works in the exhibition are moving. Line Dancing can be viewed Monday-Friday, 9 am-5 pm. A special viewing is scheduled for Friday, November 16, in partnership with the Department of Dance performance of Dance Uptown in Mershon Auditorium.

Theatre Research Institute Exhibit: Dancing Dimensions:
Movement through Time and Space
(September 5-December 30)

Dancing Dimensions: Movement through Time and Space is an exhibition at the OSU Libraries’ Thompson Library Gallery, September 5-December 30. The exhibition highlights dance and movement collections of the Jerome Lawrence and Robert E. Lee Theatre Research Institute. These range from an 18th-century French fan with dance scenes to a top hat from Chorus Line; from dance in notation to dance in 3D; costume and set designs to costumes and scenery. Through a variety of materials such as photographs, programs, posters, and correspondence the exhibition will celebrate dance and movement artists and companies, international as well as those who have kept dance thriving in Ohio. Bebe Miller’s work will be featured in the exhibition.

Gallery hours are Monday-Wednesday and Friday, 10 am-6 pm; Thursday, 10 am-8 pm; Saturday and Sunday, noon-5 pm.

Department of Dance: Dance Uptown
(November 16-17)

The Department of Dance presents its popular production, Dance Uptown, in autumn this year rather than in its usual spring timeslot. Dance Uptown takes to the Mershon Auditorium stage Friday, November 16 - Saturday, November 17 at 8 pm. The program spotlights past, present and envisioned future concepts in dance, with pieces ranging from baroque ballet and early theatrical dance to new works incorporating hip-hop, contemporary movement, and an experimental dance set to indie rock music.