Douglas Noble, director of Dodd Auditorium, was invited back to State University of New York at Geneseo to light two dance pieces in celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Geneseo Dance Ensemble from April 19 to April 22, 2018.  Noble graduated from SUNY Geneseo in 1986 with a bachelor’s in dramatic arts and received his master’s from the University of Oklahoma in lighting design with a concentration in dance lighting.  While at Geneseo, he lighted a number of dance pieces for the Dance Ensemble, where he fell in love with dance and dance lighting.  Noble was asked last April if he would be able to participate in the celebration and has looked forward to going back for the past year.

“It was great to go back where my career really started and work with one of my mentors, Jonette Lancos, again,” he said.  Noble spent six days working with alumni, faculty and current students to help produce this celebration.  He also participated in a panel discuss with other alumni about how dance has influenced their lives and held a discussion with current theatre and dance students on his career path from “Geneseo to the University of Mary Washington.”

“I was honored and thrilled to be able to participate in this amazing achievement for the Theatre and Dance Department at Geneseo,” he said.

One of the pieces Noble got to light was a piece by Nona Schurman (1909 – 2016) called “Songs from the Hebrides” that was choreographed in 1951 and was the first dance piece to receive a copyright.

“This made the second historic piece that I have been involved with in connection with Geneseo.”  While a student, he designed for the Humphrey-Weidman piece “Brahams Waltzes” that was set by Deborah Carr.