This week, be sure to take a much needed study break to see Ole Miss Student Dance perform their end of semester showcase, “I {e}MOTION,” at Fulton Chapel.
Ole Miss Student Dance is a student run dance company within the university. Auditions are held once a semester for students, both undergrad and graduate. Everyone is welcome, from beginners to those with many years of experience in any or all dance styles.
Sophomore Victoria Burrow has been involved with Ole Miss Student dance for two semesters now and has choreographed one of the dances in this showcase.
“We started working on this around the end of August, right when school started,” said Victoria Burrow, a sophomore who has been involved with Ole Miss Student dance for two semesters.
Burrow choreographed one of the dances in the showcase. A group of four girls have spent the last three months perfecting her choreography. Creativity rules over memorization in dance, she emphasized. “I like to encourage them to explore their own ability and creation, so they really make the dance their own,” said Burrow.
This is just one of the many dances being featured in the showcase. Other choreographers are bringing their own styles and techniques to the performance, creating an exciting mix of dances. “I love having diverse types of dance within our showcase and showing people what we can do,” Burrow said. Expect to see Contemporary, Jazz and Hip Hop styles, among others!
“I {e}MOTION” combines movement with emotion, as exemplified in its title. The transition many dancers make throughout the semester inspires much emotion through dance, explained Burrow.
“A lot of the people who come in haven’t danced before and they are really good,” said Burrow. “You get to see them grow and the opportunities dance can give you.”
The showcase is an inspiring finale to a successful semester for both the dancers and choreographers, which is sure to move the audience as well.
Since its creation in 2010, Ole Miss Student Dance has grown into something even bigger than anticipated. “It’s not just about the dance, it’s really about the community and the friendships made out of it,” Burrow mused.
With over 30 members and the interest level growing, Ole Miss Student Dance has created a stepping stone for the potential of a dance major or minor here at the University of Mississippi which, according to Burrow, “is huge.” This would not only broaden the opportunities for dancers and the theatre department at Ole Miss, it would be positive for the university curriculum as a whole.
“I {e}MOTION” will be held in Fulton Chapel Thursday, Dec. 3 and 4 at 7 p.m. On Saturday Dec. 5 there will be performances at both 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Tickets will be on sale at the door an hour before the program, or they can be reserved anytime this week by emailing olemiss.studentdance@gmail.com.
