The dance room vibrated with nerves and excitement as members of the UVU choreography club put on their first showcase June 2.
In the performance, eight original works were featured in an array of varying emotions and fluid movements. Dramatic dances told stories of anticipation and wonder, while upbeat pieces carried an air of fun and lightheartedness.
The choreography club provides opportunities for students, alumni and friends.
“We started the club to provide an outlet and opportunity for those who want dance and choreographic experiences,” founders Isabella Arnett and Elizabeth Crandell said. In this first showing, choreographers were given three weeks to prepare their numbers. Despite the short time frame, each dance revealed the talent of dancers and choreographers alike in a mixture of twirls, pirouettes and daring lifts. Although the club is new, it carries plenty of promise.
One of the biggest challenges for a choreographer is to project the vision in their mind onto the other dancers. Looking at the reactions of the audience, it was clear to tell that the dancers were successful in instilling life to these images. The dance captured the emotions of apprehension and anxiety through captivating visuals that intensified as the music did.
Visual Objection described the fascinating phenomenon of when the mind rejects the face. The confusion and despair was felt through the expressions of the dancers and their movements. Another dance, Mindless, exemplified the monotonous feeling of going through life by following the motions, rather than truly living. It did this with robotic dance movements and a song that resembled machinery. Flight of the Wolf depicted the struggle that wolves may feel with more of their habitats being reduced. The idea was visually enhanced with tribal markings painted on the dancer’s skin, as well as animalistic movements that spoke of their character.
“Because of the short time, we had to be flexible. The dancers were willing to dive in and go further and trust me. The dance is about trust, so it was great to have that,” Emric Thompson said, choreographer of a dance to Coldplay’s Every Teardrop is a Waterfall.
This was the first of four shows that the club will perform this summer. They also host technique classes that anyone can attend on Monday’s and Wednesday’s from 5 to 6 p.m. and Tuesday’s and Thursday’s from noon to 1 p.m.
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To find more information about the club, email uvuchoreographyclub@gmail.com, or follow their Facebook page to stay updated on upcoming shows.
