On Feb. 11, in the PAC, JV Choreographer Samantha Barnewolt walked towards the center of the stage. With the clunking of her booties, she confidently prefaced the Orchesis show. Once she left, the lights dimmed as the annual spring concert began.
With more new dancers than returning ones, the curtains opened with the opening piece, “Two Steps Forward, One Step Back.” A common theme that was implanted from the start was how each piece corresponded with the title.
The 14 varsity dancers glided across the stage to their contemporary number. Beginning on the right side of the stage, they leaped and turned their way to the left.
The calming sound of “Bright Eyes” by Lights and Motion carried through to the second piece, “Unfinished.” With every song having a message, this one was left, well, unfinished. There wasn’t much clarity but the booming sound of Florence and the Machine captivated the audience’s attention.
With all the numbers varsity dancer choreographed, the fourth song before the 15-minute intermission was entitled “Free Spirit.” Junior Mya Saucedo chose freshman Chloe Jacobs and senior Gabby Novarro to join her on stage.
“I did a hip-hop routine for state and thought ‘why not?’ for the show,” Saucedo said. “It was a lot of fun.”
This was right up her alley. With the latin hip-hop sound, Saucedo’s passion for hard-hitting routines and her latin blood, it all came together perfectly. The quick paced song “Bicycle Ride” by Soca Remix, demonstrated her personality. The tune encompassed the known spunky, energetic side of Saucedo.
With the break from the heavy and dark plots over, “Saved” was performed in a trio of varsity girls. According to senior Zoe Alexander, a member of JV, “it was beautiful.”
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“I loved their outfits,” Alexander said about the girls’ red, pink, and white ruffled dresses. The short length of the dresses allowed juniors Catey Johnson, Alaina Moran, and Allison Simons to move freely; as they were flying through the air more than others were. The dance involved aid from the other girls in order to hoist each other up, and the beauty showed through the song choice of “Don’t You Cry for Me,” by Cobi.
More contemporary and one more hip-hop routine were on before the finale. Members of the Orchesis community dance fundraiser, accompanied by three JV dancers, did a simple groove to the Kidz Bop Version of “24K,” by Bruno Mars. The young elementary students warmed hearts with their swinging arm motions to the disco influenced tune.
And with that, the show ended with Choreographer Barnewolt thanking the attendees and exiting off the stage. The complex routines left people in awe and this year’s show was a success.