Jordan Gerard/ Winonan
A senior capstone dance project has students working the performance from all aspects.
Seniors in the dance minor program and others who love to dance will perform a capstone show called “Nirvana,” on April 27 and 28 at 7:30 p.m. in the Performing Arts Center Vivian Fusillo Main Stage Theatre.
The show is all student work, and completely student run, public relations senior and dance minor Alyssa Sawinski said. The capstone performance is an annual event for the dance minors.
“The show is a combination of different dances like lyrical, contemporary and modern jazz,” Sawinksi said. “There are eight seniors in the show.”
History education senior and dance minor Alexandra Tkachuk said auditions were held in January and rehearsals started in late February. Tkachuk and Sawinski are co-directors of the show, which means they oversee the entire production from lights to costumes.
“We found it’s more work to find space to dance,” Tkachuk said. “It’s like a roller coaster. You think you have everything figured out one day and the next something else needs to be done.”
Sawinski said the struggles are something she did not realize would happen with a small show.
“Coming up with a crew, running the lights, sound and curtain and finding available space to rehearse and going into the stage and laying the floor is a lot of work,” Sawinski said. “The easiest part is dancing, and that comes natural. It’s the fun part.
Tkachuk and Sawinski said the hardest part was coordinating with other dance projects going on outside of the show.
The directors had help from a few faculty members such as Tracy Van Voorst and Jim Danneker, who helped the students with costumes and lighting.
Tkachuk said they also received a lot of help from their faculty advisor, Gretchen Cohenour.
“She has guided us in the right direction for things, or if we need something printed or told us to go through a certain department and contact people,” Tkachuk said.
Tickets are available at the door for a free will donation, and proceeds will go to the theatre and dance department scholarship fund.
