Dance Y aims to showcase talent, provide opportunity

Student-driven production exposes Lewis & Clark community to cutting-edge forms of artistic movement

By Katrina Staaf /// Arts Editor

Though lovers of dance abound on our campus, students have few chances to recreationally engage with the artistic discipline. Despite the Theatre Department’s  dance minor and the existence of the audition-based LC Dance Team, student choreographers and dancers are not often able to publicly share or hone their talents.

Dance Y—an entirely student-driven production—will bring contemporary dance out of relative obscurity and into LC’s cultural consciousness. It strives for accessibility: performers have varied levels of experience, and there is no cost of admission.

Trisha Kumar (‘16) is coordinator of this year’s production, responsible for overseeing the cohesion of several separately-directed dance pieces into one comprehensive performance. Each piece is choreographed by a student with an extensive dance background, though not necessarily with choreography experience.

Student choreographers are Laurel Garrett (‘16), Taylor Gerst (‘15), Rachel Heagerty (‘14), Pearl Hesselden (‘16), and Hannah Swernoff (‘15). They made individual casting choices and have held independent rehearsals throughout the semester with their respective dancers.

Peformer Daniela Lopez (‘16) has enjoyed the opportunity not only to dance, but also to be involved with the creative process. “I have never worked with a choreographer who took so much inspiration from the dancers,” Lopez explained.

As a choreographer, Laurel Garrett (‘16) has enjoyed watching her creative vision come to life at the hands of dedicated dancers. Said Garrett, “Dance Y provides a great opportunity for everyone involved to learn more about all that goes into a dance production.”

Dance Y will take place in the Gregg Pavilion on April 29 and 30, from 7 to 8 p.m. There is no cost of admission.

Katrina Staaf is arts editor of the Pioneer Log. She enjoys engaging in and writing about various forms of artistic expression. Katrina is editor-in-chief of The Umbrella and contributes diverse content to the website of Lewis & Clark College, with one of her pieces having been featured in the college’s Chronicle Magazine.