This past weekend, Pure Dance Marquette Company had the opportunity to showcase a number of student choreographed dances to their friends, family and the Marquette community. The Spring Show was held at Weasler Auditorium, April 22 at 12 p.m. and 3 p.m. Pure Dance is a student-run organization that gives students the opportunity to exercise their artistry as dancers, but it can also be a way to make lifelong friends and strong connections to other students on campus who share a love for dance said Alyssa Strege, senior in the College of Nursing and co-president of Pure Dance, said during the Spring Show welcome speech.
“With Pure Dance, students can continue dancing through college and it promotes growth through challenging movements. We become family through rehearsals filled with dancing and laughing,” Strege said.
Camryn Froio, a senior in the College of Nursing, talked about what it’s like being a part of Pure Dance. She said that practices are held twice a week, and the company gives students a chance to audition every semester. At Pure dance, dancers are responsible for putting the entire show together, from picking the music and costumes to choreographing every number themselves. Froio also said that the organization is not only a place to dance, but a place to make friends and have fun.
“Pure Dance gives students the chance to continue dancing after high school without the stress of competition. A lot of our dancers used to dance competitively, and this is way more laid back, so we still get a lot of time to hang out and make friends here,” Froio said.
Eight dances were performed, along with a guest performance from Marquette HYPE. Each performance showcased a different style of dance, complete with a costume change after each number. Some Marquette students, families and friends were seen supporting their loved ones and enjoying the show as well.
HYPE, Marquette’s Hip Hop dance crew, can be seen performing during half-time at some Marquette basketball games and showcases of their own. Lauren Llanes-Smith, a senior in the College of Arts & Sciences said she was pleasantly surprised at the HYPE performance, and Pure Dance’s first performance to the song ‘Pure Honey.’
“I thought it was really neat. I think it’s cool that we can come and support our friends in the arts, and it was kind of eye opening to get to see everything that goes into getting ready for a dance performance like this. It’s pretty cool to witness and see it all come together,” Adam Noon, a junior in the College of Engineering, said.
Other ways Pure Dance members can get further involved in the company is engaging in leadership and creative roles. During the showcase, the company also announced they would be giving back to the community through donations towards “ArtWorks for Milwaukee,” a local arts organization. The show concluded with the company’s senior dance, which gave seniors the chance to perform and choreograph everything, for one last performance, all together.
The Spring Show was not only a chance for dancers to showcase their art, but also a moment for people to come together to appreciate all of the performers hard work. Dancers were seen receiving flowers from loved ones, taking photographs to celebrate the moment and signing farewell notes for their fellow seniors, —a bittersweet moment shared by the community as the show came to an end.
This story was written by Sofía Cortés. She can be reached at sofía.corté[email protected].
