Performances

Choreographed by Flanigen Phillips: This piece is about letting go of insecurities, judgments, and anything that may hold us back from reaching our true potential. The situations we all have faced this past year inspired the choreographer to create, reminding her that we can only truly connect with each other when we release isolating inhibitions. The choreographer was also recently honored with the Best Choreography award for this piece at Honors Week.

Set by Bryanna Ramirez-Valencia: Dance is the universal language, and one that many cultures employ to connect communities - telling stories, marking celebrations, and heeding rites of passage. This piece is one such dance. “El Jarabe Tapatio” is a traditional Mexican dance from the state of Jalisco, and in fact, it’s a dance that often represents the country of Mexico. Though we may not all be able to travel widely right now, we can enjoy a few moments of connection to another culture through dance.

Choreographed by Ceci Cioffi: Dance, and art in general, can be a highly personal form of expression. That is certainly true of this piece and choreographer. Since she was a little girl, ballet has been a passion and serious pursuit, and she had dreams of one day becoming a professional ballet dancer. In her own words, the choreographer, a senior at SCA, says, “When COVID hit, I began to rethink my dreams of becoming a professional because the arts were suffering. I was struggling with my choices between going to college or continuing on the path of becoming a professional ballet dancer. When I heard the song “Rainbow,” by Kacey Musgraves, it provided some reassurance in the choice I have made for my future. Now I am going to college pursuing a career in exercise science, but I will always have a connection to ballet because it has made me who I am today.” Indeed, as the song says, “it will all be alright.”

Choreographed by Ava Gaccetta with Ava Rudsenske: This piece was originally choreographed for the 2020 dance concert. Since we were unable to have that show, these choreographers re-set the piece on a new group of dancers, having been inspired anew by the events of the last year. It seems the message of loss and subsequent grief is all too relevant since the pandemic began. As we know, though, after the storm comes the rainbow, and these choreographers and performers are happier and more hopeful since being able to connect with each other once again through art.

The choreographer was inspired to create this piece not only as a vehicle for her dancers to connect with themselves and each other on the dance floor, but also to inspire confidence and hope in the future of the arts.

Choreographed by Bryanna Ramirez-Valencia: According to the choreographer, this next piece is about a dancer’s perseverance and growth as she writes her own story, never quite reaching the end...always “to be determined.” The choreography shows how the dancer uses her past experiences and future dreams to bolster and motivate her movement today. Indeed, by connecting to each of these parts of herself, she is eventually able to “thrive” and “transform.”