Colonnade

Issue date: 5/1/09 Section: Features

Media Credit: Drake Simons Dancers appear to defy gravity as they leap into the air.

Media Credit: Drake Simons A dancer captivates the audience with a pointe routine.

Extraordinary is the only way to describe the 2009 GCSU Dance Minor Spring Concert. The two performances, held over the weekend, brought in good sized audiences comprised of wide varieties of viewers. Both performances were held in Russell Auditorium. The performance was made up of nine dances choreographed by both dance instructors and students.

When asked her expectations for this year's dance performance, junior accounting major and dancer Emily Wyche said, "I think that this performance will be just as great as last year's. There are many different elements of dance this year that I am excited about, such as contemporary, jazz and hip hop. The spring concert usually consists of ballet, modern and sometimes tap, so this year it will be more diversified."

The performance incorporated all of the dance styles that Wyche listed which resulted in an attentive audience. It lasted approximately one hour and fifteen minutes, and when it ended the audience found themselves eager for more. Junior mass communication major Brittni Collins predicted this exact reaction from the audience.

"The audience is going to be blown away. This is not going to be a 'prissy' dance show!" she said.

Because of the diversity of the performance, many found it very appealing. Jacob Bowen, a junior business administration major at Dalton State College, traveled to Milledgeville on Sunday, to watch friends in the performance. He was impressed with the outcome and enjoyed the assortment of dances.

"It was very cultural. I enjoyed the fact that there was such a wide variety of dance styles," Bowen said.

Along with the wide variety of dances, there was also a broad range of music. It included classical music as well as modern music.

While the dance instructors choreographed some of the dances from the performance, many of the pieces were choreographed by students.

"There is always a huge variety in the dance minor concert because of the many different choreographers," said Katie Ragusa, a senior psychology major. "I think everyone has great ideas for their pieces, and I can't wait to see them on stage!"

The multiplicity displayed at the performance also benefits dancers like Collins, by broadening their range of dance skills.

"I have always considered myself a ballerina, mostly because it is my first love … coming to college and deciding to minor in dance gave me the opportunity to expand even more and really push myself to become a better modern dancer," Collins said.

Amelia Pelton has directed the University's dance program since its development 13 years ago. She has been involved with the Dance Minor Spring Concert since that time as well. Her hopes are that each performance will be an improvement from the last.

"We always strive to improve the technical abilities of our students, the performance qualities and the choreography of the students," Pelton said.

Pelton implied that much time goes into preparing for the event by saying that she and the dancers began the rehearsal process in the fall. As far as rehearsals go, she said that "some have been rehearsing since before Christmas, (and) the rest, right after."

Page 1 of 1

Article Tools