Dance Inc. Marquette, a student-run, student-choreographed dance group, held their annual fall showcase Sunday, Dec. 5 in Weasler Auditorium, featuring 11 dances and two guest performances.
The dance group, founded in 1999, works to incorporate many different styles of dance into their showcases, typically including lyrical, tap, jazz, hip hop, ballet and musical theater, making it the most versatile dance group on campus.
This semester, the group added some new styles to their showcase along with guest performances from Marquette University’s Premier All-Male A Cappella group, The Naturals and Irish dancers.
“We had some very unique dances that we haven’t had in the past,” Taylor Wicklund, president of Dance Inc. and a junior in the College of Arts & Sciences, said. “This semester, we also had a line dance, ballet and Irish dancing.”
This year’s showcase theme was “Together we stand.”
“We talked about an idea that meant bringing us back together,” Wicklund said. “After being on pause for so long, we wanted something to make us feel reunited again as a group.”
Dance Inc. holds two shows per school year, one at the end of each semester. However, this was the first showcase the group has been able to hold since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic three semesters ago.
“I am excited to show our audience the hard work that all of our members have put into this show, especially since this is the first time we are performing in two years,” Briana Discipio, vice president of Dance Inc. and a senior in the College of Health Sciences, said.
Emily Ditsch, a physical therapy graduate student, returned to Dance Inc. to choreograph after COVID-19 canceled the showcase last year.
“I haven’t been able to dance since COVID-19, so it’s been great being able to see and work with everyone,” Ditsch said. “I love how the piece turned out and am so grateful for all the hard work my dancers put in.”
Morgan Guetschow, social chair for Dance Inc. and a senior in the College of Health Sciences, said the best part about Dance Inc. is the supportive environment.
“In every rehearsal, we are always bouncing ideas off of each other and are open to trying new things that any member suggests,” Guetschow said. “Dance Inc. also offers any member the option to choreograph their own dance, so it allows me to explore the choreographer side of dance while being a dancer at the same time.”
Dance Inc. welcomes all dancers, regardless of background or experience. Members of the group also have the option to choreograph and/or dance.
Every student who auditions is guaranteed to be in at least one show, according to Wicklund.
“We pride ourselves in being an inclusive group of dancers, welcoming all dancers with open arms, regardless of their experience and abilities,” Guetschow said. “The only requirement is that they love to dance.”
The dance group offers several different styles of dance along with different difficulty levels as well.
“Dance Inc. is a group that fulfills the need for dance while understanding the commitments of a college student,” Discipio said.
The group currently has 35 members.
Mackenzie Culver, secretary of Dance Inc. and a junior in the College of Arts & Sciences, said her favorite thing about being a member of Dance Inc. is the people.
“This is my third year in the club and every single show, I have made many friends that I wouldn’t have had the opportunity to meet at Marquette otherwise,” Culver said.
Dance Inc. holds auditions every semester for both choreographing and dancing. Their next showcase will be held during the spring 2022 semester.
This story was written by Bailey Striepling. She can be reached at [email protected].
