Saturday rehearsals for the spring dance concert are a collaborative effort of the talented student dancers at Pierce. Stage blocking, the determination of where the dancers should be on the main stage, as well as choreography, is carefully planned to prepare for the opening of the show on May 20.
Sandy Luque, who has been dancing for 11 years, is dedicating the piece to her brother. According to fellow dancer Briana Bauer, the genuine emotion that goes into the piece makes it even more powerful.
During the rehearsal, Bauer, Luque and other students work together to create smooth transitions within the choreography. Often they stop the music to go over select parts of the dance and work out the kinks in the visual aspect of movement.
Denise Gibson, director of the Spring Dance concert, watches from the side and offers her students advice on how to improve and continue forward as they prepare to perform on the main stage. Her fresh perspective helps the students point out weaknesses that they cannot see themselves while performing.
As the rehearsal winds down, dancers have an idea of what they need to work on before the next round. When the dancers return to the studio on the following Saturday, they will be able to progress from where they left off, and continue to polish the rest of the piece before opening night.
