Travis Vail/ Roundup
The Pierce College dance department held its annual spring concert this weekend, with three productions spanning the weekend.
The concert was organized by Marian S. Weiser, professor of dance and vice-chair of the dance department, and featured a mix of student and professional choreography.
Weiser estimates that about 120 students auditioned for the production, but a total of 89 eventually made the cut.
The show’s 20 performances seemed to cover every genre of dance, as the dancers demonstrated their versatility with such genres as hip-hop, ballet, tap, and even dance drama.
Weiser did her best to contain her enthusiasm for the debut of her students’ hard work.
“I’m never going to tell you all to break a leg; I’ve always hated that expression, but I will say that when tonight is over, we’ll all be smiling,” said Weiser during her last address to the dancers before leaving the dressing room to join the audience.
Each of the segments drew ecstatic responses from the crowd, but a few, such as “Click, Clack, Clog” which featured a tap medley by Beverly Polcyn and Hap Palmer, proved irresistible.
Polcyn, who admits that she’s about Shirley Temple’s age, says she’s been teaching tap dancing at Pierce for about 25 years.
“I just love to dance,” said Polcyn. “I won’t stop as long as I can keep doing it.”
Russell McFadden, who starred in the street dance number called Hermetica, wore a giant grin as he returned backstage.
“The vibe from the people and music was overwhelming,” said McFadden. “It felt like it was just me up there.”
26-year-old swing dancer Jeremy Harkless shed some light on the dancer’s perspective during a live show.
“We always bring a little extra to the table when there’s an audience,” said Harkless.
Another focal point of the performance was when Michael Han, who works full-time as a parade performer at Disneyland, wowed the audience with his mastery of point-shoes during a piece called “Litigation.”
“Litigation” proved to be a real crowd-pleaser as tap dancers competed with ballerinas in a courtroom setting, with choreographer Leon Richards acting as the mediator.
Many of the dancers performed in consecutive segments, which left them mere moments to change into their next wild costume.
“I have about three minutes to throw off a suit and cover my body with black paint,” joked Alex Schwartz, whose participation in “East Meets West” caused the aforementioned wardrobe change.
When the performance finally wrapped up, the sense of accomplishment among the performers was evident.
“All of the dancers were awesome; a challenge, but a lot of fun to work with,” said Heather Ashleigh, who choreographed and performed in her own piece. “They really brought the show to life.”
After the show, the foyer quickly filled with audience members seeking to congratulate Marian Weiser on a great production.
“All of the dancers performed beautifully. There’s always room to climb, but they did wonderfully well,” said Weiser.
When the topic of a standout performance came up, Weiser maintained her modesty.
“Well I wouldn’t dare say that,” she said. “They all stood out tonight.”
Those that wish to see the dance department in action can look forward to the next concert, which will be staged in the fall semester.