Jordan Gerard/Winonan
Winona State University’s Dance Society hosted a night full of dancing and singing at the fourth annual Variety Show, held last Wednesday.
The Variety Show is a talent show in which anyone can participate. It raises money for the club to send its dancers to the American College Dance Festival in Milwaukee.
Haley Holmes, president of the club, said this year the Dance Society raised $350.
“We were very proud of the success we had this year,” Holmes said. “We are hoping for another great show next year.”
Tickets were $3 and audience members got a ticket for door prizes ranging from local business gift certificates to knick-knacks. Unique prizes included dream catchers with pictures of deer and chickens and an antique doll. The door prizes were given away during the show.
The audience seemed to enjoy the show, and the door prizes were a big hit, Holmes said.
There were new performances and old favorites. Returning acts included the Dance Society dance team, hip-hop team and the Runner Up Improv comedy troupe.
The Dance Society danced to “Thriller” in bright pink morph suits.
The RunnerUp Improv comedy troupe tag-teamed a comedy skit about a family Thanksgiving dinner. Students also performed musical duets and solos.
The show gives the various arts and entertainments that are at Winona State a chance to showcase their talents, Holmes said.
Preparation for the event starts with brainstorming at Dance Society’s meetings. Anyone who wants to participate in the show must contact the club.
As show time approaches, Dance Society stays in contact with the clubs and performers to make sure they will be ready for the show.
There is no rehearsal before the night of the show. Everyone performing meets before show time and they receive the show’s lineup.
The club’s “go for it” approach works really well, Holmes said.
The show is never the same two years in a row. In previous years there have been martial arts performances and morph body-suit dance routines.
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