NIU senior Sandra Kaufmann was honored last week at the American College Dance Festival at Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa by being chosen as one of the finalist to perform a choreographic work at the festival’s gala performance.

Alan Bernstein, a department of theatre arts spokesperson, said the American College Dance Festival is a four-day event with the gala performance being the climax. Nine works were chosen to be performed out of 59 entries.

Being picked for the gala performance is a special honor for Kaufman because she was the only student entry, she said. She competed against a field composed solely of dance instructors from the Midwest/Central Midwest area, Bernstein said, also.

Kaufmann’s work, entitled “A People’s Cry,” impressed the judges because of its competence and understanding of the South African government’s policy of Apartheid. “They were particularly impressed with Kaufmann’s ability to … present the clear, universal meaning of pain, suffering and hopelessness,” Bernstein said.

The experience was a bit overwhelming, but exciting, Kaufman said. She was able to watch the judging of the other eight competitors, which helped to relieve some of her nervousness.

Kaufman’s choreographic work was performed by dancers, Debbie Goodman, Dawn Karlovsky, Michelle Powell, and Michelle Rawlake.

The dance was first performed as a part of the Northern Dance Theater’s fall concert at NIU’s O’Connell Theater.

NIU’s Theater and Dance programs has been honored twice by having a choreographic work winning a place in the performance two years ago. The festival is held every two years.