Dance Showcase Draws Tears and Cheers

Callan Shore, assistant editor

The PVCC Dance Club Spring Showcase, entitled “Everyone’s a Little Crazy,” began with slight technical difficulties but turned into a captivating piece of professional art that left the audience screaming.

The Dance Club is a place for all dancers, whether they have taken years of dance classes, like member Kaili Brannan, or have never stepped foot in a dance studio, like member Gareth Wittig. The club is run by Rainah Gregory, a PVCC student who will be attending UVA in the fall. Dancers Sofia Smith and Kaili Brannan help Gregory by choreographing dances and organizing meetings.

Gregory said, “I was accepted to transfer to UVA. It’s bittersweet. I hope to be involved somehow whether that is choreographing a dance or helping to market the club. My fellow officers this past semester Sofia Smith and Kaili Brannan will be taking over.”

On April 25, months of hard work culminated in the Spring Dance Club Showcase. The show began at 7:30 p.m., but the team began to trickle into the backstage room of the Black Box Theater at PVCC at 4 p.m. Dancers steamed their costumes and giggled. At 6 p.m., all club members, including stage managers, followed Gregory’s lead in a small stretch and workout session. Gregory yelled motivational sayings until all dancers had completed 100 crunches.

At 7, family and friends of the performers, as well as a few PVCC students, found their seats. The show started 10 minutes late, but once the loud music and energized movements began, any complaints from the crowd were silenced. The showcase featured 10 dances, which were all choreographed by Gregory and other dance club members. The dances that created the most deafening cheers from the audience were a theatrical dance set to the song “Stacy’s Mom” and an intense, technical dance set to “Bellyache” and “Bury a Friend,” songs by Billie Eilish.

Gregory said, “When it comes to choreography I get a lot of inspiration from classes I have taken or works I have seen. Some moves come naturally whereas other moves I have to plan out… In this past showcase the pieces I choreographed were songs that when I heard them I immediately pictured it in my head! This can be really fun and scary (since I don’t want to forget what I’m envisioning!) I’ve loved working with Sofia and Kaili, their choreography is awesome and collaborating with them was super fun! I’m excited to see what they do next!”

After the show, family and friends mingled with the dancers and devoured a cake with “Why be moody when you can shake your booty” spelled in icing across the top. Stage Manager John Banks beamed and repeated, “That was just so good!”

In order to join Dance Club in the Fall, contact Rainah Gregory, Kaili Brannan, or Sofia Smith. Dance Club meets 12-1 p.m. every Wednesday.