As the lights of the Blackbox Theater dimmed, the only sound that could be heard is the stomping of 20 students moving to an exotic rhythm. On May 13, the dance department held their first annual choreography showcase.

“This showcase is a collection of the dances we’ve been working on all year, and all of the routines were created by students who took [the choreography] class,” dance sophomore Margaret Vaniwiering said. “Most dancers don’t have the chance to choreograph until later in their career, so it’s really great to have the possibility as an underclassman.”

Essentially, the choreography class was a new opportunity offered this year for dancers to improve their skills creating dances and showcase their talents to the student body. The class also helped students practice a variety of different dances from contemporary to hip hop.

“We first had to create a solo for ourselves and after we had to create a group piece and teach a group all of the moves,” dance sophomore Francesca Gabriel said. “This class made you become more comfortable with different dances and styles. It really helps us evolve as artists.”

 The process of learning the routines was arduous and consumed a lot of time. The students spent virtually the first half of the year constructing their dances. After winter break, the dancers started teaching their crews the choreography and were practicing until the day of the showcase.  

“It was a lot more difficult than I thought it would be,” dance junior Hope Lawrence said. “We only had a few sessions with our crews to teach them all of the choreography and get everything prepared.”

Although the 2016 choreography showcase was the first the dance department has ever held, teachers felt it was beneficial enough to continue it and are excited for future shows.

“The [students] worked really hard this year,” dance teacher Heather-Ann Lescaille said. “They had to grow as artists to be able to prepare all of the dances and they really turned out beautiful.”