Despite the thunderstorms, power outages, and driving rain, hundreds of people flooded Falk Theater for the matinee performance of the annual Spring Dance Concert.
The concert showcased the talent of more than 50 UT dance students in 10 choreographed routines, featuring ballet, modern, hip-hop, jazz, and Latin dance.
Presented by the Department of Speech, Theater, and Dance, the annual event drew a large crowd and gave dancers a chance to showcase their skills to friends, family and members of the Tampa Bay performing arts community.
For the dancers, preparation was a lengthy and time consuming process.
“We put so much into it,” sophomore Taylor Pines said. “We practiced from five to nine sometimes and I only had a week to learn a dance that everyone else had been practicing for a month.”
Despite the exhausting rehearsal schedule, many dancers said that watching the final product made it worth it in the end. “It’s exciting when you’re about to go out on stage and dance,” said senior Laura Carberry. “You’re standing behind the curtain watching the dance before yours, getting pumped up with your group.”
Audience members inside the packed Falk Theater also showed enthusiasm for the show. “I think there’s great energy,” said senior Julie Becker. “You can really feel it in here.”
One sophomore said she forced her boyfriend to go to the concert, but by the end he was singing and dancing along. “The way that people danced really showed their personalities and their passion for dance,” said junior Christina Marino. “I was envious of their rhythm and it made me just want to get up and dance.”
Although many of the dances were lighthearted and fun, a few conveyed deeper messages. Statement, choreographed by UT professor Phyllis Gaines, incorporated sign language into the performance.
Gaines, who founded “Sign of the Times,” a dance company for hearing impaired and wheel chair bound children, used aspects of hip-hop, modern, step, and ballet in her choreography. “Incorporating the different genres of dance made a statement of togetherness,” said dancer Monica Kornblatt. “Her style of dance is very unique, not like the pop you see on TV. She is really good at communicating with movement.”
Former UT dance student Alison Woodbury choreographed Time for Change, an interpretive dance featuring ballet, jazz, and modern styles. Set to Dear Mr. President by Pink, the dance portrayed political protest and the importance of voting. “I think it’s a good way to get people to pay attention to what’s going on in the world,” said dancer Laura Carberry. “She was trying to send the message to kids our age to go out and get involved.”
Time for Change drew the loudest reaction from audience members. Dancers said the performance sent an important message to their fellow students, and that they were pleased with the crowd’s positive feedback. “You have to put your own emotions into it,” said Carberry. “What you put into it is what you get out of it.”
Although many dancers are glad that the long rehearsals and sleepless nights are over, some said the experience was its own reward.
“I’ve never gotten so close with a dance group,” said Kornblatt. Pines agreed, “It was a lot of work, but it paid off in the end.”
The Department of Speech, Theater, and Dance hosts one free dance concert each semester, made possible by donations to the program. Try outs for spring Dance Happening, will be Saturday, March 1st at 10 a.m. in the Edison Building and are open to all students.
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