Rowan University’s Dance Extensions Provides Stage for Student Voices, Movement & Meaning
Both dance majors and dancers pursuing other majors express themselves creatively and keep up with their dance training through our on campus contemporary dance company, RU Dance Extensions.
A student-run contemporary dance company, RU Dance Extensions promotes dance as art, with assistance from advisor Melanie Stewart. As an audition-based company with about 25 members, each September the company hosts auditions for the academic year. Members have the opportunity to choreograph and dance in student work performed each spring semester.
This year Dance Extensions hosted their second annual Dance Extensions Showcase in Pfleeger Concert Hall. This year’s showcase featured 19 student-choreographed pieces, ranging in styles from contemporary, modern, jazz, improvisation, tap and Bollywood.
From pieces as small as solos, to groups as large as 20 people, the diversity in the performances allowed for the audience to experience many sides of dance. The showcase started with an encapsulating full company piece titled All For Us, choreographed by President Tyler Benson, and Secretary Tara Tucci. Inspired by the hit American TV series Euphoria, they welcomed audience members to the performance.
E-Board members choreographed pieces throughout the show. These include: President Tyler Benson, Vice President Jordyn Dauter, Secretary Tara Tucci, Treasurer Valentina Giannattasio, Historian Sophie Creed, Fundraising Chair Emma Margolies, and Senators Bella Campo & Isabella Castells. Company members Jackson Brown, Caitlyn Crompton, Aniyah Gandy, and Bryce O’Donnell had work featured as well.
Some of the pieces in the showcase include a beautiful contemporary piece titled Dear MaryLou… to the song Above the Clouds of Pompeii by Bears Den, which utilized a bouquet of flowers, choreographed by Secretary Tara Tucci.
Vice President Jordyn Dauter opened act II with an eight-person contemporary piece titled You Will Smile Again, performed to the song Train Wreck (Acoustic Version) by James Arthur.
Treasurer Valentina Giannattasio challenged her cast of eight dancers with her upbeat contemporary piece, Echoes of the Vanishing World, performed to Radioactive by Imagine Dragons. Each dancer wore a gas mask to portray the consequences of peoples’ actions on the planet and the importance of environmental stewardship.
Historian Sophie Creed took the song Lost by Dermot Kennedy (sung by Luz) and created a contemporary piece about the struggles of time constantly moving, emphasizing the importance of living in the moment.
In addition, the showcase featured guest performances from the RU Hoofers Tap Club and the Rowan Rangeela Bollywood club. RU Hoofers hit the audience with an upbeat tap number to the song Airplane Mode by Cory Wong, choreographed by their Vice President, Tara Tucci. Rowan Rangeela Bollywood club shared a piece of their culture with the audience in a piece choreographed by Trina Basu, Reeya Kale, Tulika Khanna, Umali Patel, Purva Shah and Emily Soobryan. Along with that, Dance Extensions welcomed four outside performers, Makenna Boesenhofer, Jacqueline Casazza, LisaMarie Casazza, and Brittany Sylvester to dance within their company’s pieces.
To close out the show, Vice President Jordyn Dauter, along with Treasurer Valentina Giannattasio and freshman company member Allison Tedeschi, choreographed a dynamic closing piece to the song Run Boy Run by Woodkid. The piece titled Earth vs. Air vs. Fire vs. Water, inspired by zodiac signs elements, explored what happens when their elemental energies collide with each other. All of the dancers wore blue, green, orange or gray to symbolize their elemental sign. A crowd favorite, it left the audience with a lasting impact of what Dance Extensions was capable of.
All of this magic was made possible with the help of Rowan alumni Stephen Minder, the lighting designer of the showcase. He worked with each company member to help bring their visions to life, with over 300 total lighting cues during the entire performance.
Dance Extensions offers open classes every week. Please visit ProfLink for up to date information on open classes and upcoming auditions.
Written by: Jordyn Dauter, senior double major in dance & elementary education
Photos by: Joshua Bradley, senior accounting major