OREM — The Utah Valley State College department of dance was recently awarded a $10,000 grant from the National Endowment of the Arts for the reconstruction of a modern dance piece.

The grant was awarded as part of the endowment's American Masterpieces: Dance College Component program. It is supporting a UVSC project, "Dance for Walt Whitman," originally choreographed in 1958 by legendary choreographer Helen Tamiris. It was designed to reflect the American spirit of equality and respect captured in Whitman's poem, "Leaves of Grass."

The performance of "Dance for Walt Whitman" will be March 21, 2008, at the University of Utah for the Utah Academy of Sciences, Arts and Letters Centennial Spring Conference.

"Dance for Walt Whitman" is choreographed for 23 student dancers and one child and will be double-cast to meet demands of the performance schedule and to assure coverage in the case of injury. Auditions, open to all UVSC students, are Nov. 27 from 5-7 p.m. at UVSC's Physical Education Building, Room 152