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This weekend's junior showcase in Ball Gym's Korsgaard Dance Studio allows juniors from the dance department to exhibit performances they choreographed using student dancers. The event, The Definition of Movement, is also a great opportunity for freshmen to gain experience as dancers.
AUDITIONS
Typically, the audition process marks the beginning of any production. Freshman dance and public relations major Tori Cashman is one of the dancers who auditioned for the showcase and landed a spot in juniors Allison Florea's and Aaron Price's pieces.
"Being a dance major, [the department] will tell you about all the auditions, and I personally know the juniors who choreographed the pieces," Cashman said.
Cashman said the audition was fun and laid-back, unlike many auditions that can often be difficult and nerve-racking. Since the juniors were the ones choreographing the routines, the dancers were asked to audition in front of them.
"We had to learn a combination, and, of course, all the juniors are sitting there and staring at you, but it wasn't bad at all," she said.
Junior dance major Rachel Brown experienced the auditions as a choreographer. Each dancer was given a number so the juniors could write down who they wanted in each piece, and from there, they pulled numbers randomly to decide each dancer.
"We definitely had to solve our own problems when it came to picking dancers," she said. "I pretty much got who I wanted, though, and I was really just looking for motivated dancers."
REHEARSAL
After auditions, the rehearsal process took over and has lasted since the beginning of this semester. One of the main concerns for each group was finding rehearsal times that worked with everyone's schedules. Freshman elementary education major Esther Hamilton is one of the dancers that found scheduling difficult for her piece, which Price choreographed.
"It's easier when you have smaller groups because you'll rarely have time conflicts," Hamilton said. "So, the times we ended up rehearsing were Fridays from five to seven [p.m.] and Sunday afternoons, which were both difficult times because on Fridays, you want to get right into the weekend, and then on Sundays, you want to recover."
Having a distant hometown can also hinder showcase dancers, such as freshman dance major Lisa Curatolo. Her hometown is nearly five hours away, and with involvement in other dance organizations and Alpha Gamma Delta sorority, finding time for family can be difficult.
Even though finding time to rehearse was difficult, the groups managed to put together performances and have a good time while doing it. Cashman said she felt a bond with her fellow dancers when rehearsing.
"I love the family aspect of it, and just being able to hang out with everyone is great," she said. "I feel that rehearsal times are when I can actually have a life and be around my friends instead of always doing homework and being in class."
Overall, attending the showcase is a chance to support the dance department and will allow the performers to see that their work is appreciated. Cashman said she feels the department is easily overlooked.
"I feel that the dance department is under-appreciated sometimes and nobody comes to our shows," she said. "It'd be nice if other students came to see what we actually did instead of us just walking around in a leotard and tights all day."
The Definition of Movement: Junior Dance Showcase is at 7:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and at 2:30 p.m. on Sunday in Ball Gymnasium Room 213. Individual tickets are $5 and can be purchased at the University Theatre Box Office or at the door. According to the event's Facebook page, it is strongly recommended to purchase tickets ahead of time.
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