Orchesis Dance Company Takes Center Stage

Even though the school year is winding down, the SUU dance company, Orchesis, is ending the year in style.

The Orchesis dance concert on April 6 and 7 included the full dance company as well as 12 featured guest dancers from around campus. The guest dancers included Sofie Scaletta, a senior psychology major, as well as Emma Sorensen a freshmen communications major.

SUU dance company is known for having a more modern flair to their dance performances, and this show was no different. That being said, there was a nice variety of different dance styles to highlight all of the performers.

Summer Smith, a freshman communication major from Highland, Utah is one of the members of Orchesis and has loved being a part of the dance company.

“I really have enjoyed being on Orchesis,” Smith said. “We have had a lot of opportunities to perform at school events which has been fun. It’s a way to keep dancing even though I am not a dance major.”

Smith had the opportunity to choreograph a piece called “Jet Set” for the concert.

“The song is from the musical, ‘Catch Me If You Can’ and I have done musicals my whole life,” Smith said. “I love musical theatre, and I had a big group of girls and I thought it was the perfect dance to do.”

The concert also included a traditional ballet called “Grand Tarantelle” by choreographer Richard Englund. The piece was originally choreographed in 1965.

According to the bio on the program, “(the ballet) is a study of constant and rapid movement. It is based on the ancient Italian folk-dance, the Tarantella. This dance, in presto tempo is said to have originated as an attempt to overcome the fatal effects of tarantula poison via violent exercise.”