Shannon KeoughCabrini College has started its very own Contemporary Dance Company. Although Cabrini already has a dance team that performs at half-time for the menss basketball game, this squad of girls is approaching dance in a different way than the team. They plan on having performances that are more like theater with make-up and costumes.
Founders of the new company are Renee Banson, professor of graphic design and fine arts, and Alyssa Frieze, senior business administration major. Together, they decided to build a company. Banson holds the position of artistic director of the club, while Frieze is the contemporary dance manager. Collectively ,they do the choreography to make sure they put on a great show.
The company has seven members; Corinne Piotrowski, Becky Pennock, Kristie Dafnis, Jade Spence, Melissa Phillips, Kerry Allaire and Frieze. Each semester the members of the company hand in $50 to cover costumes and items they will need for their performance.
Dr. Adeline Bethany, fine arts professor, is also a big contributor and a huge supportor.
“My contribution is mainly to provide enthusiastic support for student endeavors,” Bethany said.
Bethany lends a helping hand by supporting the girls and helping them get their name out there.
“The Fine Arts department has been offering courses in ballet and modern dance for many years. When Banson suggested that the students present a public performance I thought it was an excellent idea,” Bethany said.
“Contemporary dance is exciting and different. We really plan on doing things for the school,” Frieze said.
Frieze also explained that they had a rough start bringing ideas together for the squad.
Rebecca Pennock, sophomore elementary education major, has been dancing for 13 years and enjoys being a member of the company.
“I really enjoy the company because I enjoy being on a stage and find contemporary dance to be a very elegant form of art,” Pennock said.
The company supplies a lot of opportunities; they practice more than one type of dance.
“We really try to get a variety of dance in our shows, for example ballet, modern, lyrical and more tap,” Frieze said.
The team gets together every Friday and rehearses from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. to perfect their choreography and become fully prepared for their first performance. The new team’s first show will take place on Dec. 5 at 7:30 p.m. in Grace Hall. Although the show is in a short amount of time they have been working hard and putting together a really great routine.
Not only will the dance company be there, but they have invited other guests that will be making an appearance to perform. An Indian dance group from Bryn Mawr will be there with a very different type of dance, much like the Bollywood style. An Irish step dancing team will be taking the stage as well as Cabrini College’s very own dance team. “I am very excited, we worked really hard and it will be a big day for us. We hope that a lot of people attend and possibly join us for next semester,” Pennock said.
Next semester they will be holding a second round of tryouts for students who missed them in September. There will be open auditions, but the date is still to be announced.
