The Notre Dame Dance Company will bring winter to Washington Hall on Thursday and Friday night, as part of its annual Winter Showcase.
The Winter Showcase takes the student dancers the entire semester to prepare, Doré said,
“The ND Dance Company is a completely student-run dance group on campus," Maura Doré, public relations officer for the Dance Company, said. "It serves as an outlet for dancers from Notre Dame, Saint Mary's and Holy Cross, and consists of the Blue Company (intermediate level) and Gold Company (advanced level). Auditions are held at the beginning of each semester.”
Over 100 dancers will be performing at the showcase, Emma Lyons, secretary of the Dance Company, said. All dances are choreographed by students.
“The dances are picked by the company's votes after each choreographer shows a preview of their dance at the company meeting at the start of the semester … and then members of the company sign up for the dances they wish to learn and perform in,” Lyons said.
The Company also performs in the Welsh Family Hall Dance Fest, the PFresh talent show and other events around South Bend, Doré said. The beauty of the Notre Dame Dance Company is that the dancers are able to pick their level of commitment, she said.
“Students can commit however much time they want to the company, then, by signing up for as many or as few dances as they want,” Lyons said. “The purpose of this company is to allow students to continue doing what they love in college, but on their own time and with their own level of commitment.”
The showcase includes 22 dances, Doré said. The genres being performed include lyrical, jazz, contemporary, ballet, pointe and tap, Lyons said.
“This showcase offers a chance to perform what we have worked hard on all semester, a chance to show campus a great variety of dances and, also, a chance to show off our talented dancers and choreographers,” Lyons said.
The showcase serves as a way for the dancers to display their hard work, Doré said.
“It is truly an amazing representation of the talent on campus,” Doré said. "It is the time when we get to show off what we have worked so hard for all semester. I know that personally when all else fails, I turn to dance, and performing in this showcase gives me an opportunity to present my passion to anyone who cares to watch."
Winter Showcase will be performed Thursday and Friday in Washington Hall at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $5 and will be sold at the door.
