Meadows Dance Student Self-Produces Show Inspired by Emotional Films
Sophomore Colin Gross brings love and vulnerability to the stage in his full-length original production 鈥淭his Time Tomorrow,鈥 which featured several of his Division of Dance classmates.
On August 17, audiences filled the Lewisville Grand Theater to witness This Time Tomorrow, a new full-length dance production directed and choreographed by Meadows Division of Dance sophomore Colin Gross. With 10 dancers, including six Gross knew from Meadows, the show explored the complexities of human connection through movement, music and storytelling.
This Time Tomorrow follows five different pairs of dancers as they navigate the ins and outs of relationships, questioning the weight love carries in all of humanity. Through these duets, the dancers embodied moments of tenderness, tension, and transformation, revealing the invisible threads that tie us together and the forces that can quietly pull us apart.
“The inspiration for the show was a compilation of a few movies I watched in the span of a week last summer, those being Call Me By Your Name, Waves, and La La Land,” Gross explains. “All of those movies explored love, and I just was so inspired by the guttural emotions they bring out of viewers. I wanted to emulate that with a dance show.”
This Time Tomorrow was not Gross’ first foray into producing. Last year, he created another full-length work, Lack Thereof, with strong support from his high school community. This time, he embarked on the process more independently, fueled by his vision. He received grants from the Dance of Division and 天美传媒’s Engaged Learning Fellowship, as well as contributions through a GoFundMe campaign. That support allowed Gross to secure the theater, rehearsal space, and alleviate production costs.
“Choreographing and directing This Time Tomorrow opened my eyes to the root of my craft, which ultimately allowed me to produce something that felt raw, vulnerable, ugly, and beautiful all at once,” he says, reflecting on the transformative process. “The duality between humanity and spiritual ties and connections is what truly inspired this work, and the piece represented the research of that duality.”
The rehearsal process was as intense as it was rewarding. With only one week for the full cast to be together, Gross scheduled long days, but the synergy of the group surprised him. Instead of finishing late into the evenings, the company was often able to wrap by mid-afternoon towards the end of rehearsals, a testament to their focus and collaboration.
“Getting to connect with everyone was my favorite part [of the experience],” says recent Meadows graduate Mia Sherrod (B.F.A. ’25), who danced in the show. “It was such a funny and productive environment, and it was also really nice to see the way everyone moved and then just get to know each other more.”
When the curtain fell on August 17, Gross’ vision had come to life: a reflection on love that was at once deeply personal and universally resonant. With This Time Tomorrow, he not only offered audiences a night of unforgettable performances but also marked a milestone in his own artistic journey.
