Lisa Sainvil and Emilia Kawashima stood at the front of the University Theatre stage wearing cut-up stockings and semi-ballet attire while the sounds of a classical violin began to play.
The music quickly changed to a hip-hop beat mixed with the classical sounds by a group called Black Violin. Sainvil and Kawashima performed with matching hip-hop and ballet dance moves in a piece called “Urban Fancy x2.”
“‘Urban Fancy x2’ was an attempt to combine our two dance backgrounds in modern ballet and hip-hop,” explained Kawashima, who also choreographed the piece with Sainvil in this year’s showcase.
The spring semester’s Dances We Dance performances, hosted by FAU’s Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters, had 90 student performers together presenting in this variety showcase filled with diverse music and styles of dance.
Three performances were held at the University Theatre: one on Friday, April 30, at 8 p.m., and two on Saturday, May 1, at 2 and 8 p.m.
Family and friends sat in the audience and applauded as the performances ranged from belly dancing with its elaborate costumes, interpretational pieces with engaging music, and a noted end with a classical ballet performance.
Kally Khourshid, an undergraduate major, performed her original piece, called “Color Me Light,” to music by Steve Jablonsky, titled “All Spark,” from the movie Transformers.
“[It’s] grippingly beautiful, and the music dynamics sweep you up into a thrilling journey as you listen to it,” explained Khourshid about her choice of music.
In “Color Me Light,” Khourshid elegantly danced across a dim stage in an all-black sheer covering on top of a white dance ensemble as she tried to stay connected with the spotlight that kept moving and, at times, disappearing on the stage.
Her inspirational dance was motivated by her Christian faith, and the center stage light, as she described, represents a person’s struggle to “stick with what they are sure of even when their most frightening enemy is theirself.”
Donaya Hamilton, an undergraduate who was also a part of the showcase, performed in another interpretational piece with four other members of the production in a piece called “To the Edge,” with music by Metallica.
“The dance was about having inner fear … when no one can help,” according to Hamilton.
The students gathered on a dim stage with two set steps at each corner as they performed in a mixture of modern dance and ballet moves as each dancer, through their movements, appeared to be internally tormented while they each climbed the step.
Dances We Dance was engaging and at some points comical, and the students involved effectively showcased their talent and love for dancing.
“I absolutely love to dance, so being a part of this showcase was a great opportunity for me not only to just dance, but to choreograph, learn and have fun,” explained Emilia Kawashima. ?