Dance students connect their stories to ‘The Thread’ of Student Choreography Showcase

By Brielle Aguayo and Alexandria Munroe •

The Student Choreography Showcase will take place Friday, April 11, and Saturday, April 12 at 7:30 p.m. in the Performance Theatre. This year’s theme is “The Thread.”

Alonzo Williams, adjunct dance professor in the Department of Communication, Media, and the Arts, said the theme represents how everyone is interwoven in society.

“We all have our own personal stories, but a lot of those stories also intertwine. So it’s important to find how all those things are threaded together to create a cohesive piece that can be presented to the world,” Williams said.

The student choreographers for this year’s showcase are Amaia Flores, Jessie Johnston, Kimora Roberts, Madison Cantor, Olivia Knerr, Rachel Harris and Ysabella Lupercio.

Flores, sophomore dance and communication major and Mako Media Network’s social media manager, is choreographing her first piece for the showcase.

“I felt like I had more of a story to share. Also, I’m a sophomore, so last year I wanted to, but I was kind of scared because I was a freshman. Now that I’m more familiar with the program, I was like, ‘This is the year I’m going to do it,’” Flores said. “It’s a fulfilling moment for me because it’s my first time as a major sharing my work rather than just being in someone else’s piece.”

Flores’ piece, “We Mourn. We Stir. We Pick up the Pieces,” stems from grief.

“Basically, this piece goes through my emotions when I dealt with losing someone. And I’m telling the story through that, and it focuses on three stages. So it goes through depression, anger and then acceptance,” Flores said.

Angelina Banos, freshman dance and exercise and sport science major, portrays depression in the piece.

“It’s really special to me that I get to portray that, and I get to step out of my comfort zone. She asked me to perform less, because less is more in this aspect, because I have to act numb in order to portray depression and how it can take energy out of you. And then the rest of the dancers in my part are reflecting what’s going on in my head while I’m just kind of there,” Banos said.

Banos is also in Knerr and Cantor’s pieces.

Cantor said this piece is her chance to show what she’s learned during her time at NSU.

“I’m glad that I’m able to put out and showcase all the education and training that I’ve learned from my four years here in the program,” Cantor said.

“My piece is the story of different people’s journeys and migrations from different lands and cultures all kind of falling into the same place and what their stories are, whether some of them are representing just themselves, some of them are representing their ancestors,” Cantor said.

Lupercio, senior dance and business management major, is the stage manager and lighting designer for the showcase. Lupercio also has a performance in the showcase and used her time within the program as inspiration.

“It is my goodbye piece to the program, and my thank you piece to everything that I’ve learned here and what I’ve learned in my time here at Nova,” Lupercio said. “I think that it sums up how I have felt throughout the years and how I’m thankful for what it has taught me.”

Lupercio’s dance focuses on the concept of time, splitting it into different sections that correspond with her experiences growing up. In the beginning, one of the dancers will go through time and learn new things.

“Then the third section, you’ll see her get super overwhelmed and that time still moves on whether we want to stop or not, and then you’ll see her at the end realize that time isn’t necessarily a deterrent, but it’s something that if you use it correctly, can work for you,” Lupercio said.

Williams, alongside other dance faculty like Elana Lanczi and Damaris Ferrer, are mentors for the student choreographers, and have been able to help guide them to shape their dances.

“The students are passionate. The students are intentional,” Williams said. “And the students really put their heart out in the front to be exposed in order that people can be healed, be supported, be understood, but also recognize the beauty of our dance program.”