Meadows Division of Dance hosted its Fall 2024 Dance Concert last night, Nov. 21, in the Bob Hope Theatre. The show was riveting and exciting for both the dancers and those watching.
The Fall Dance Concert is the highly-anticipated semesterly show that students audition for at the beginning of the school year. Months of time, energy, and work went into the preparation and execution of this production.
The show was composed of three pieces, two of which premiered at SMU and one which was originally performed by the Paul Taylor Dance Company in 1975. Each piece was unique, but cohesive in delivery and sentiment.
The show opened with a hip-hop piece called “Rinascita,” choreographed by Crystal Fraizer. This piece featured five movements, and was dynamic and explosive in emotion. There were times where the entire stage was filled with the cast, and it was apparent that each dancer gave themselves to the process and enjoyed the moment, which made the night even more enjoyable as an audience member.
The piece that followed was a ballet called “The Noise of Time.” Choreographed by Carter Alexander, this ballet followed a repetitive sequence of movement, similar to that of a clock. The dancers’ synchronicity was captivating. They exhibited power, beauty and strength during the piece and emphasized the repetitive nature of space and time.
The show ended with a performance of the iconic choreography of Paul Taylor’s “Esplanade,” a piece created by Taylor emphasizing pedestrian movement. It portrays relationships and deals with emotions like love, heartbreak, joy and anguish.
Meadows students Colin Gross, Lauren Lawshe, Ja’Von Mitchell, Jada Spriggs, Abigail Baden, Siya Darby, John Rowley, Elizabeth Perry and Grace Shirley gave a remarkable performance showcasing athleticism, strength, precision of movement and care for the choreography.
Students from all over SMU were in attendance, but fellow Meadows students across all disciplines showed up to support as well.
Meadows student and double major in computer science and music, Alex Kao, enjoyed the show and said it was an impressive and enjoyable experience for him.
“It’s a stunning display of incredible and diverse talent,” Kao said “It looks like so much fun.”
Ella Mcdonald, a vocal performance major, said she was in disbelief about the sheer amount of physicality displayed throughout the show.
“I’m starstruck. They were all amazing. Their technique, their form, their physical stamina, wow,” Mcdonald said. “ The just commentary of what the dances were about and trying to understand what they convey and feel the deep emotion behind it was amazing. I loved it.”
Dance minor, Regina Hammeken, enjoyed watching her friends perform from the audience as she’s usually on stage with them.
“I just wanted to get up and dance with them on stage. The first piece, the hip-hop, was incredible and then the ballet was just breathtaking with the lighting and all the dancers,” Hammeken said. “Esplanade at the end was just iconic. It was great to see my fellow classmates and friends do it on stage.”
See the Fall Concert tonight and tomorrow at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m. for a special performance of Esplanade.
