Performing Arts Club ‘Big Show’ features themed dances

By JORDAN WILLIAMS

Music and emotion came alive during last weekend’s Big Show, sponsored and performed by the Performing Arts Club (PAC).
Each year PAC holds two large dance exhibitions, which showcase student dancers and choreographers. This year’s show featured 18 original dances from various genres, including  such as jazz, hip-hop, tap and contemporary.
Big Show had two showings on Saturday, March 22 at 7:30 p.m. and again on Sunday, March 23 at 2 p.m. The shows were the culmination of a semester worth of preparation and practice by the dancers.
Senior Gaelyn Quirey choreographed one of the night’s stand out performances entitled “True to Myself.” A contemporary piece set to Alex Close’s “Too Close,” Quirey’s dance incorporated intriguing light shows that created large and dramatic shadows behind the dancers.
A hip hop routine, choreographed by junior Jocelyn Edwards, which featured an army of dancers.
Senior Katherine Sheetz, however, choreographed one of the most interesting dances of the night. For her dance, Sheetz drew inspiration from J.R.R. Tolkien’s book “The Hobbit.” Entitled “Out of the Frying Pan and Into the Fire,” the dance featured junior Bethany Alley as Smaug the dragon, and revolved around Smaug’s pursuit of the dwarves, who were portrayed by the other dancers.
As UMW does not have a dance major, PAC allows students to dance for pleasure and gives them an ability to express their creativity.
Sophomore psychology major Andrea Stegman choreographed her first dance for this semester’s PAC show, a jazz number called “Silver Screen Shower Scene.”
“As a first time choreographer, I highly enjoyed the experience of seeing my vision come to life on stage and expressing myself through my dance style and choreographed movements,” said Stegman.
PAC has two shows each year, once in the fall and again in the spring. The second show is often an emotional one, as it is the last performance for graduating seniors.
“For me, PAC is the closest thing to a dance major, since we don’t have one here,” said junior and PAC treasurer Chelsea Kopf. “I love dancing with all my friends and I couldn’t think of a better way to end the dance season.”