Coyote Chronicle CSUSB

The Independent Student Voice of CSUSB Since 1965

University Dance Company’s “For the Love of Dance”

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By Carly Woolley |Staff Writer|411

The University Dance Company (UDC) presented their annual showcase “For the Love of Dance” on Feb. 13.

They left the audience in shock with their quick transitions from ballet to street hip hop.

UDC is comprised of Cal State students, alumni and community members.

These dancers have been diligently working on choreography and rehearsing their routines since September of last year.

For many, the UDC is an outlet to display their passion for dance.

Dance is an art form that requires strength, flexibility, rhythm and passion.

It is such an extremely straining and demanding activity, and many strive to attain the skillful technique it requires.

A notable dancer can not only deliver flawless technique, but they can tell a story through their choreography.

Janys Antonio has been teaching dance at CSUSB for 24 years and has been consecutively holding the student showcase for 23 years.

When asked what the purpose of the student showcase was, Antonio said, “The purpose of the showcase is to give all of the dancers a chance to perform and choreograph.”

While watching the student showcase, one aspect was clearly evident: Dance is hard.

The showcase featured various styles of student choreography ranging from classical ballet to street hip hop.

Each number was surprisingly different.

The “Ties that Bind” performance choreographed by Janys Antonio was different to say the least.

I found this modernized ballet piece to be quite interesting but maybe for not all the right reasons.

The dancer in the spotlight was wearing a harness that connected him to the other dancers around him with strap-like material.

The dancers around him were wearing all black with white point shoes.

I found this to be very displeasing to the eye as well as highly distracting.

Overall, the performance had room for improvement with the lack of cohesiveness by the performers.

The program was constantly changing between different genres.

One moment there would be a ballerina on stage with classical music and then before you knew it.

A group of hip hop dancers would be surrounding the ballerina and a music change would quickly follow.

The style of the student showcase was definitely unique.

There were several creative numbers filled with a great deal of spotlight dancers and dancers in the core.

One of the most memorable performances of the night was titled “Walking on Air.”

The dance was gracefully choreographed by Marissa Mooney who just so happens to be the UDC’s current president.

This piece was a breath of fresh air. It was uplifting, fun and full of energy.

The dancers in the piece were all extremely committed to leaving the audience with a positive reaction.

The performance was adequate; however there was some noticeable room for improvement in certain pieces.

UDC is undoubtedly filled with members who are truly dedicated to practicing and performing their craft.

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