Every Wednesday, I get to take a break from organic chemistry and pre-med club meetings to enjoy one of my former loves: dance. A friend of mine convinced me to put my books down for an hour every week for a Dance Happening rehearsal. Dance Happening is a show put on by the dance department every semester that showcases student work in a variety of dance styles. This semester I’m participating in a contemporary piece.
The dance room in Edison is a large, open space with mirrored walls and marley floors. When I walk in, girls are already stretching, chatting and laughing amongst themselves in pseudo-preparation for rehearsal. Some practices have an atmosphere that is stern and formal—this is far from that. Most people already know each other and are welcoming when an outsider (such as myself) joins in. The choreographer usually has spent years dancing alongside his cast, so while there is respect, any harsh sense of authority is absent.
Just as I take my place in front of the mirror to start stretching out some very angry hamstrings, our choreographer, Patrick Justin, a senior psychology major and dance minor, steps into the center of the room to get started. His excitement is contagious and it is evident by the devious look on his face that we’re about to do something very cool/extremely frightening. Justin is all about experimentation. Only a week before, I found myself thrown over someone’s shoulder in an upside-down split-type thing. Words can’t really help me here.
Just as I suspected, he begins describing a pose that seems impossible to fully picture until we’re actually in it. He works with a few of us at a time, making subtle changes and rearrangements until —bam—something beautiful happens. It is a skill that I admire and envy.
“The most essential part for me is knowing my dancers and making sure not only that my work suits my dancers’ abilities, but also that my concept still comes across at the end of the day,” said Justin. “As far as rehearsals go, I believe that being flexible and relaxed is key. I don’t work well stressed and neither do my dancers, so I want to keep a calm environment.”
And that environment stays fairly consistent. Sometimes there are moments that could easily turn into tense conflict. Trying to piece together an elaborate stunt, for instance, can exponentially increase the amount of stress in the room, especially when safety is an issue. But the girls here all trust each other and manage to laugh in between the moments when they know they have to stay serious.
The cast and crew of Dance Happening come from a multitude of majors, backgrounds and levels of skill. Because of this, I’m certain I’m not the only one who thinks dancing acts as a much needed escape from the stress of academics; even if only for an hour a week.