Curtains dim on the danceology stage

Danceology was a teacher choreographed showcase presenting dancers of various skill levels. This year’s teacher showcase rose above the level of previous shows. This year’s show featured a level of dance skill that was higher, which allowed teachers to create a new vision that was lively to the audience.

Danceology started out with a ballet dance performed with dancers in different bright colors that matched balloons on stage. The dance seemed to be missing personality, and the music was the type of music you would hear on the elevator. I feel when ballet is put in shows it has two directions it can go; either it is amazing or it looks sloppy.

The first number gave the impression that the show was going to be another amateur show until the next dance, “Injustice” choreographed by Holly Brosius and Michael Quintana, hit the stage. The dance is a plea to all men to stand up against oppression that is similar to what is going on in the news with Ferguson and other cities. The dancers’ emotions and musicality really showed in the dancers’ face and movement. What really made the dance stand out were the walkers that would walk through the dance. Their clothes were appropriate for the times and really accented the dancer.

“Unwanted” choreographed by Kevin Gaytan was a dance I would witness over and over again. I would say it was flawless. He added so much more tiny details that really helped to captivate the audience more. It was a great piece to watch.

“Foreign Bodies” choreographed by Carol Abohatab was a very quirky modern dance performed in black light. Dancers performed in the dark with a green light casted on the floor and black lights. For their costumes they wore all black with white lines on them with white socks and gloves. I really liked this piece because it was unique although I didn’t know where to turn to look. The music was a weird, developmental song where they talked about different body parts. The dancers all seemed to be in tune with each other and the music. I would want to see this dance again.

Ever since I witnessed a tap piece 2 semesters ago I have been a fan of tap performances. This year’s tap performance was nothing short of great again. Dancers danced to a medley of songs, such as James Brown “I feel good”. The energy was great among the dancers although two distinct dancers stood out. Tashi Baisy, who lights up the stage with her big smile, and Peter Piczon, whose fluid movement and body control made him appear flawless out there. It was easy to see why he had the longest solo of all the dancers.

“Lift you up”, a piece that was choreographed by Maria Basil, was something to behold. Basil and her partner are professional dancers and you could tell with their strong command of stage, dynamic movement, and performance. In this club dance style called the hustle, they incorporated a bunch of partner lifts that were breath defying. It amazed me how in sync they were with each other’s bodies. I have always wanted to learn how to dance in a space with someone, so that dance took my breath away.

Hip Hop has always been a crowd favorite and Holly Brosius put on a show with her choreography. The dancers wore bright neon colors and showcased a variety of skills such as tutting, body rolls, and the famous “boat.” The musicality and performance of these dancers was awesome. The boat really caught me off guard. I couldn’t believe the line of 15 people could flip over and balance on each other. In the dance was a great b-boy who flipped and spun on his hands. He had control of his body and even pin dropped directly on the ending beat to end the dance.

Things got spicy with “Chicago,” a jazzy number with fishnets, mid drifts, and skin. It was a dance broken down into two parts. The first part felt very swingy and upbeat, while the second half of the dance was more sultry and sensual. The song blasted “Roll your stockings down” as dancers looked at audiences and walked their fingers down their leg created an interesting connection and feeling.

Cristina Terron
Contributor