Loyola’s Dance Company took to the stage in McManus Theater on Dec. 4 for its 22nd annual fall showcase entitled “Vogue.” The show featured performances in different styles of dance as well as solo performances by multiple dancers and performances by Loyola’s step team and Dance Crew.
Throughout the night, the audience enjoyed numbers by Dance Company’s intermediate and advanced modern, tap, ballet, contemporary, musical theatre, jazz, hip hop, and lyrical groups. Loyola’s step team, Unleashed, also performed in the showcase. Solos were performed throughout the night by Kathryn Morrison, Wacky Gonzalez, Nevay Archuleta, and Kelsey Rieff. Loyola’s Dance Crew also performed “Battle of the Sexes” to a medley of familiar songs.
The sold-out show, organized by senior officers Julia Carey and Kelsey Davidson, also set out to make a difference this holiday season by donating all proceeds from the show to Loyola’s outreach program Presence for Christmas. Senior officer Kelsey Davidson explained the decision to donate the ticket sales to Presence for Christmas as Dance Company’s “small way of giving back to the Baltimore community who may not be as fortunate, so that they can receive a similar joy during the holiday season.”
The Dance Company’s performances captivated the audience throughout the night. The audience expressed their enthusiasm for the showcase and performances in their excited applause throughout the night and comments after, with many students saying that this showcase was their favorite yet. The Company’s officers kept the energy and entertainment up during a short intermission in the middle of the showcase. Officers requested volunteers from the audience to “audition” for Dance Company, and volunteers amused the audience as they attempted to perform demonstrated choreography.
Davidson also commented on the amount of work that goes into the showcase, saying that the time the dancers dedicate is “a lot, and much more than people expect.” She explained that depending on the number of dances that performers are in, dancers may have up to 10 hours of rehearsal per week, and that the week leading up to the show, the Company has 5-hour dress rehearsals per night with all members performing. Davidson said that group captains are also responsible for costumes, light and sound coordination, communication with dancers, and social media promotion. “Dance company is almost completely student run, so it takes a lot of effort from our students,” Davidson said. “It’s a ton of work but it’s all so worth it in the end.”
The cohesion and strong team dynamics within the Dance Company were apparent in the ways that the dancers performed together and supported each other after the showcase. Junior Dance Crew member Chris Scantlebury said that he first decided to join dance company out of his love for music and the encouragement of a friend who was a member, and he credits the Company’s team dynamics and supportive nature as part of the reason that he loves his Dance Company experience. “It was very humbling,” Scantlebury said, “but I was surround by a bunch of incredibly talented people who were willing to take every step I was until we were on the same page.”
Senior officer Davidson also commends Dance Company’s support and cohesion amongst its members. She said that all members come together through “a shared love of dance,” and that the company has “formed [their] own little family where [they] can support each other to learn and perform together.”
Scantlebury agreed that Dance Company is a supportive and transformative community. He summarized his dance company experience in saying, “I grew a lot in my sense of persistence and my confidence in myself. And [I] was truly blessed that I could put that all together with the group of people we had.”
