Dancers say “Hooray for Hollywood” in fall showcase
Dancers perform “Jai Ho” and “Jai Jai Shivshankar” as a part of the Bollywood number.
November 14, 2022
Student dancers “woke the funk up” this weekend.
The annual fall dance concert gave the Dance Company and advanced, intermediate and men’s dance classes the chance to shine for the last time this semester.
This year though, the showcase, which took place Nov. 12 and Nov. 13, came with a twist.
“The theme this year is Hooray for Hollywood so the songs from each of our dances come from iconic movies like ‘Flashdance’, ‘Fame’, and the original ‘Batman’,” said Alice Ma, senior and president of dance company. “They’re just really fun and the dances are inspired by the vibe these movies give off.”
Before every dance, a trailer for each movie was played for the audience members to adjust to the new era and energy that came from each performance.
Among the pieces was the fan favorite Bollywood dance, choreographed by Ms. Kavita Rao, an alumna who graduated in 2001. The dance company worked with Ms. Rao, artistic director of the entertainment company Karmagraphy, when she revisited the Kinkaid dance studio earlier this year.
“It’s a really great dance because it’s a cultural dance and Ms. Rao is an incredible choreographer,” said senior Haania Punjwani, member of dance company. “It’s a really fun time where the whole company can come together at the end of the show.”
Ma agreed.
“Having a guest choreographer come in was a really fresh and new experience,” she said. “This dance especially is super fun to do because it requires a lot of energy and excitement from us and we have these colorful scarves that add to the fun of it.”
Because of the number of seniors in Dance Company this year, many of the dancers noted that this showcase felt bittersweet.
“It definitely feels different,” Punjwani said. “I have more leadership within the company where I can give advice and mentor the younger members, and I think I’m appreciating it and celebrating it more since it’s my last year.”
Senior Taylor McMullen concurred.
“You definitely have to be a good role model for everyone else in dance company and also just kind of create that fun, happy, joyous community,” McMullen noted. “The process is long and it’s difficult, but it’s so rewarding in the end.”
