Ed Board had the luxury of attending the opening night of the Hope show yesterday. The SMU Dance Department has produced yet another exquisite masterpiece.

The first piece in the show is George Balanchine’s “Serenade.” The Tchaikovsky, conducted by SMU’s own Dr. Phillips, and performed by the Meadows Chamber Orchestra, sang with the sweet light of our heavenly father.

This marvel of choreographic excellence is one of Balanchine’s seminal works. It prizes a timeless opening: as the curtain raises, and the strings swell, the ballerinas appear, facing the audience, with their right hand shading their eyes from the vibrant luminosity spilling on stage. Lauren Harvey, the Elegy Girl in the performance, stunned the audience with a balance in arabesque en pointe without the aid of a partner.

Last night’s world premiere performance of Max Stone’s “Kama Shastra” aroused everyone in the audience still in possession pulse. Much of the movement is inspired by the Kama Sutra, and is performed to James Horner’s “Arabian Travels.”

During his solo in the work, Philip Orsano wowed the crowd with his dynamic movement and stunning lines.

The third feature of the evening was Lester Horton’s “The Beloved.” The only narrative piece in the show, it is a duet, pairing graduate students Dana Reubins and Marlon Simms. The staccato, rigid movement juxtaposed against the elegant eveningwear was jarring but evocative.

Closing the evening was one of Martha Graham’s final works “Helios.” The sonorous trumpets and glistening gold unitards lightened the evening. The dancers performed well, but the dance did not seem to match the quality of Max Stone’s Kama Shastra.

Ed Board highly encourages students to attend one of this weekend’s performances of the Hope Show. As first year theater major Quinten Quintero observed, “Dancers are the most beautiful creations on Earth.”

The Hope Show is at 8 pm tonight, Friday night, and Saturday night. There will be a matinee showing on Sunday at 2 pm.

Tickets are $6 with a student ID.