On Friday, Nov. 2, the student-run dance organization Orchesis put on their fall semester show at Wadsworth Auditorium.
Orchesis consists of different student choreographed groups that dance in different styles. The performance's styles varied from tap, jazz and hip-hop to Latin, modern and ballet, many of which harbored different levels of expertise. The show lasted about two hours, with 21 dances and a 15-minute intermission.
Sophomore Carolyn Randle, who danced to Timbaland's "The Way I Are," was very happy to join the club, especially after dancing for nine years before coming to Geneseo.
"I loved being able to participate in the club," she beamed. "It was a wonderful experience. Being able to dance after leaving your studio is a great feeling! I would definitely do it again next semester; it is a great experience and helps you meet a lot of new people!"
The song choices included "Candyman" (Christina Aguilera), "Tambourine" (Eve) and "Mambo Swing" (Big Bad Voodoo Daddy), which fall into tap, hip-hop and Latin genres, respectively. All of the dances were performed beautifully, and it was evident that the dancers were having a great time performing. The technique for each level of experience and skill was on point. The show finished with the officers performing to High School Musical's "All in this Together" before having the entire club join them on stage for a final round of applause.
Orchesis starts the year by having student choreographers decide on a song and have the basic idea or concept for it; then they present it to everyone interested in the club. They decide on the song, the style and the level of dance, ranging from beginner to advanced.
Students that are interested in joining list their top two preferred dances. The choreographers then try to give the dancers the dance they want, and if they aren't able to do that, they place them in one that is similar in style to their previous selections. This gives many different students with different experiences in dance the ability to participate in Orchesis.
"It was a great experience and I definitely intend on doing it again next semester," said junior Jennifer Prato, who danced in "Tambourine." "I would definitely recommend other students to get involved with the organization, even those who haven't danced prior to this and just want to give it a chance. Everyone is very welcoming and supportive of one another.