The SRU Dance Department presented a concert titled “Emerging Artists Dance Concert” in Miller Auditorium. There were two performances, one on Friday, Feb. 2 at 7:30 p.m. and one Saturday, Feb. 3 at 4 p.m.
The concert allowed junior and senior student choreographers to work with their peers and bring their visions to life. Around 10 student choreographers were chosen, each with different types of work that showcased a theme or idea.
There were also pieces from guest artists featured in this performance.
The process started by holding auditions for dancers and creating routines that were impactful to themselves and the audience. The faculty then debated and discussed before choosing the choreography to be performed at the concert.
“There’s a lot of student work that gets to be featured here at Slippery Rock, which is really cool and awesome,” one student choreographer, Olivia Farmerie, said.
The dancers and choreographers had begun rehearsals in the fall of 2023, multiple days per week.
The event was meant to give dancers a chance to showcase creativity and talent, while also learning and gaining new skills that can be helpful in their future careers.
“It’s a good way of getting into that mindset before the professional world where you’re working with professional choreographers, so you kind of get to dive into that experience with your peers first,” Lily Staib, a student choreographer, said.
Before the show, dancers expressed excitement to demonstrate their hard work and training.
“Just seeing the finished product on stage kinda wrapped up with a bow, I’m really excited…it’s also my first time performing a solo at Miller,” Farmerie said. “I’m just excited to see the reaction from my group piece.”
Staib held similar feelings ahead of the concert.
“I’m really excited to have the opportunity to show my work,” Staib said. “It was fun being able to have both experiences of choreographing my own group work and choreographing a solo work.”
There are multiple dance concerts throughout the year to showcase student and faculty work.
The next concert is set to be March 1, 2024 and will be dedicated to recognizing women.
