Tonight and tomorrow, Phi Beta Kappa Hall will once again be filled with its annual extravaganza of lights, leaps and leotards. Yesterday, Orchesis premiered its annual fall show, Dancevent, featuring the dancing talent of both students and professors of dance.
p. Orchesis is the modern dance group affiliated with the College’s dance department. It was formed in 1941, and has been putting on energetic performances of modern dance ever since. Orchesis puts on two shows a year, one in the fall, Dancevent, and one in the spring, An Evening of Dance.
p. The show in the fall features choreography by faculty from the dance department, and dancing by both professors and students. The spring show is danced and choreographed entirely by students.
p. The show this year includes different and colorful influences, including African and American Indians themed music.
p. “The show includes a collaboration with Native American drummers, a flautist and a shawl dancer.” Camille Shand ’08, a member of Orchesis, said, “The show is a lot broader this year. The concepts and themes are different.”
p. Meghan Cavenaugh ’09 and Jordan Gehley ’09 both joined Orchesis their freshman year, and will be performing together in one of the dances during Dancevent.
p. “This dance gives us a chance to show a lot of emotion, like a dance we were in last year,” Gehley said.
p. Cavenaugh agreed with her, but mentioned some differences. “The piece we were in last year was more about connecting within a group,” Cavenaugh said. “This year’s dance is more about trying to break away from peer pressure.”
p. Another dance that will be showcased is an annual Dancevent tradition with the seniors and faculty. The dance features improvisational dancing by both the dance faculty and the seniors involved in Orchesis.
p. “It’s a cool concept,” Shand said. “Our movements are improvised within a set structure, the music is improvised by a professor from the music department, and the lighting is also improvised.”
p. Dancevent will be performed through Saturday night at 8 p.m.in PBK. Tickets are $5 for students.
