By: Mary Grace Donaldson
Posted In: News
Photo credit: Emily Sulock
SRU Dance executive board members pose in support of the Andrea Rizzo Foundation. Proceeds from the Nov. 20 performance of “Power Trip” will benefit this cause.
There will be no need for the National Grid next weekend on the Salve campus. The energy put into SRU Dance’s fall performance is enough to power the whole campus.
SRU Dance, Salve’s largest student-run organization, is busily rehearsing for their fall 2010 performance titled “Power Trip,” after the Kanye West song “Power” which the show’s opening dance is set to. “Power Trip” will be performed on Saturday, Nov. 20 at 7 p.m., and Sunday, Nov. 21 at 1 p.m in the Rodgers Recreation Center. Twenty-six dances are listed on the program, many of them set to tracks by the likes of Lady Gaga, Rihanna, Sara Bareilles, Coldplay and La Roux who recorded the hit “Bulletproof.” All of the dances are choreographed by students and range from hip hop, to ballet, to lyrical, to tap and jazz to Irish Step in terms of types of dance featured. A great deal of planning goes into every performance associated with SRU Dance. “So much goes into it that when you finally get to tech week and the show, it’s so worth it,” said Vin Testa, one of SRU Dance senior captains. The executive board, made up of two senior captains, two junior captains, a business manager and a public relations coordinator, take care of all of the behind the scenes components to the show. At the beginning of each semester, the executive board holds auditions and groups every student who auditioned into at least one dance. The executive baord is notorious for turning the week before the show, known in the performing world as ‘tech week,’ into something fun amidst the endless hours of rehearsals. Each night the dancers come to rehearsal wearing themed clothing. Some of the themes this year include “Disney day” and “Pirate day.” A big change for this year’s show is the club’s acquisition of a Marley dance floor. According to Emily Sulock, a junior and SRU Dance public relations coordinator, tap dancers were not permitted to use tap shoes on the floor of the Rodgers Recreation Center in past shows. With the acquisition of the Marley floor, tap dancers can use their shoes and not have to “tap dance” in sneakers. The Marley floor provides better support for all of the dancers, Sulock said. When the show first begins, the audience can expect to watch a PowerPoint presentation made up of photos from rehearsals set to music. The junior captains created the presentation, and in the past it has been a crowd favorite. Another important detail is the bio board, which anyone attending the show can view as they arrive. Every dancer performing in the show has a featured bio and photo available for viewing. The crowd can expect polished, energetic dances from “Power Trip.” Other tracks included on the program are “Waka Waka” by Shakira, “Whip It” by Willow Smith, and a remix of Britney Spears’ “Toxic.” A large showing from freshmen and sophomores brings even more energy to the group than in previous years. “We keep topping ourselves every year,” Sulock said. The crowd can also expect a surprise number at the end of the performance. Testa hopes the end performance will, “knock everyone’s socks off!” Admission to the Nov. 20 performance is “Pay What You Can,” with all proceeds going to the Andréa Rizzo Foundation. Admission to the Nov. 21 performance is $5.
