Two dances - one created by a faculty member and another by a student in the Department of Dance and Theatre - are among those that will be presented at the American College Dance Festival Association’s regional conference Feb. 21-25 at Texas Christian University.

Mary Lynn Babcock, associate professor of dance, choreographed No Way Home, set to the music of Radiohead. Eleven dancers in the piece depict devastation and destruction from a disaster, whether natural or man-made, she says.

"Music by Radiohead is mysterious and sometimes melancholy, supporting the mood of the dance," she says. "The dancers' full use of the performing space and large fast-paced movement, coupled with 'edgy' partnering, remind us that in the face of large-scale disaster, there is no way home."

Leah Perison, a senior who plans to graduate in May with a bachelor of fine arts degree in dance, choreographed Alone in my Castle, a piece that revolves around the theme of hiding and revealing. Set to the music of a Russian pop singer, Bumac Vitas, the dance depicts five classy, upscale women who act refined in society but when the clock strikes 12, they reveal their inner selves.

"They have a whole other side that is powerful, sneaky, sexy and silly," Perison says. "Sometimes we feel we have to hide who we truly are in our personalities to uphold the expectations of others. That's the first section of the piece. The second section is a soloist breaking out of her shell and revealing all of these new personalities."

The American College Dance Festival Association, which has 10 regions throughout the country, also sponsors the National College Dance Festival. Works selected from each regional conference are showcased at the national festival, a biennial event held at the Kennedy Center's Terrace Theater in Washington, D.C.