Big Show Hosts Student Choreography

By JAMIA JORDAN

The University of Mary Washington’s Performing Arts Club, better known as PAC, will be showcasing a dance show featuring student-choreographed pieces from hip-hop to ballet this weekend. The show will open on Saturday, March 31 at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, April 1 at 2 p.m. in Dodd Auditorium, George Washington Hall.

The show, titled “Relinquished Control,” features 17 dance pieces, each picked and primed by student choreographers have worked with their dancers to strengthen their skills for this one night on the stage.

Senior choreographer Amanda Johnson said, “I think it’s going to be a really strong show.”

When asked about her piece in specific she commented saying, “It’s going to be really pretty because I have beautiful dancers. The piece is about that moment when everything falls into place. I wanted to do a happy piece because it’s my last semester.”

Senior Rachel Sheets prepares for the show in a different way. No production has that extra spice and “it” factor without the hard work and dedication that goes on behind stage.

As one of Dodd’s lightning designers, Sheets puts in long hours a week before the show to make sure lighting cues and special effects are on point for the dance pieces. This sometimes includes late nights in Dodd working with choreographers on their lighting.

“I am lighting six dance pieces, four of them are choreographed by seniors,” said Sheets.

After graduation Sheets plans to continue her passion of light designing by working on a cruise line and lighting some of their shows.

PAC dancers work tirelessly throughout the semester, sometimes attending multiple rehearsals during a given week. The club puts on two dance shows a semester featuring student work, “Relinquished Control” being the last one for the 2011-12 school year.