The Beaucoup section attended the UL Lafayette’s School of Music and Performing Arts Dance Program’s 2024 production of An Evening of Dance. Below are their thoughts.
Kay Padilla
Allons Editor
I enjoy the Dance Program’s productions. As a former dancer, I love being able to see amazing choreography and technique throughout each of their productions. An Evening of Dance did not disappoint. A few of my coworkers were in the production this year and I loved being able to finally see their hard-learned work.
My favorite piece was “Purple Rain” choreographed by Anna Maria Hebert and Julia Toups. The simple costuming really popped out by having bright lights pointed at the dancers. It almost felt like the lights were a part of the choreography, reflecting and accentuating their movements.
All the numbers were great but “Why so serious” choreographed by Ishita Pal was fun to watch and listen to. They included objects that made sounds like colorful sticks and flowing fabrics. It was very interactive and there were no low points in the dance. It was always building.
“The Dividing Pair” choreographed by Caroline Slayton really pulled at my heart because it included a video of her as a child and it was very nostalgic.
Adhamm Safford
Editor-In-Chief
I don’t know much about dance, beyond the moves I break out in the office to aggravate people from time-to-time, and I’d never been to a show like this before. But I was captivated the whole way through.
I was struck not just by the variety in dance styles and music, but by the costumes and changes in lighting, and the vastly different stories and moods each choreographer wanted to capture.
“Why so serious” by Ishita Pal was a standout for me because of its sheer upbeat positive energy; it was an playful arrangement and just about every dancer had a smile on their face throughout. The scarves and sticks incorporated into the dance were a nice touch too.
My favorite was probably “ICON” by Eriel Reed. The colored lights flashing to the beat of the song and rhythm of the dancers was perfect, and the choreography pushed the dancers to project an impressive amount of presence and confidence on the stage.
Marie Ducote
Allons Writer
An Evening of Dance was a nice way to spend a Friday night. First I like how there was a variety of music genres with each performance. There were 11 dance performances in total. Top ones for me were the first dance titles “Purple Rain” where they danced to Prince’s “Purple Rain.” I liked how the choreography went with the song.
The second performance titled “000” had two songs “Not My Responsibility” by Billie Eilish and “Death” by Melanie Martinez. These two songs fit perfectly together and were a nice contrast from the first dance.
Some of my other favorite performances came after the intermission. The sixth dance “The Human Condition” took things slower compared to the previous dances.
“Dividing Pair” started off with a home video of the dancer as a child. Then segwayed to a solo to “Dawn Chorus” by Thom Yorke. The home video with the song made it an emotional watch.
Nyria Mustiful
Allons Writer
An Evening of Dance was such an amazing show and experience! There were so many diverse types of dance showcased, such as contemporary, jazz, hip-hop and so much more. There were eleven performances in total and each one was as special as the one that came before it.
One aspect of An Evening of Dance that I enjoyed was just how much the students/performers were involved in the show. Every single dance that was performed was choreographed by students in the company. It highlighted the creativity and talent of the students even further.
Another aspect of the show that I enjoyed was the way that lighting was very instrumental in setting the mood for each performance. In performances such as “Purple Rain,” “000,” and “Why so serious,” light was used to highlight the emotion and assist in the storytelling of the dance.
My favorite performance of the night was “Coming Home.” I enjoyed the “Dirty Dancing” inspiration and thematic influence that was present from start to finish.
I also enjoyed that the dance highlighted the connection between the past and the present through the music selections, “Stay” by Maurice Williams and the Zodiacs and “Coming Home” by Leon Bridges.
Overall, An Evening of Dance was a really enjoyable experience for me and I hope to visit another show from the Dance Program in the future!
