The Rocky Mountain Collegian

Issue date: 11/1/07 Section: Entertainment

Media Credit: Aaron Montoya

The lights turn on and the music begins.

With pounding hearts and adrenaline coursing through the veins, the stage becomes the backdrop for a story of music and life as told through dance.

For Noelle Robinson, this is the way of life. For her, dancing is self-expression and an art form that takes practice, determination and love to master.

"It's quite a bit of work, but it's worth it in the end because I love being on stage and having the rush of being in front of people," said Robinson, a senior dance and business finance major. "I'm actually a really shy person but dancing makes me feel comfortable, and it's where I can be myself."

Keeping a standing tradition since 1987, Robinson, along with fellow senior dance majors Shari Callear and Ariane Pfneisl, will be directing the biannual Studio Dance Performances that showcases a large variety of dances choreographed and performed by students, starting with the first performance tonight at 8 p.m. in the third floor studio of the General Services Building.

"Everything about Studio Night is student run," Robinson said. "Everything is put together by the students and all the choreography is from students. It's a free-for-all, where anything goes with any style of dance."

As a new requirement before their senior dance showcase performance in the spring, Robinson, Callear and Pfneisl had to direct, choreograph and perform in Studio Night. From creating all the promotional material to holding auditions to each choreographing a dance, the three directors have been working relentlessly since August.

Callear explained that along with Robinson and Pfneisl, getting prepared for the performance has been "busy and time consuming, but has gone smoothly," and is all about the students.

"Studio Night is very student oriented and based off our individual perspectives," said Pfneisl, a dance and speech communications major. "It's about people's individual ideas and it allows us to express ourselves through movement."

Along with Pfneisl's piece, there will be 13 group pieces, one choreographed by each director, and six solos that will be performed. Each group piece will be performed twice while the six solos will be split with two performing each night. Callear and Robinson each produced a modern group performance while Pfneisl choreographed a contemporary ballet piece.

"You can't get intimidated because you have a chance to choreograph anything," Callear said. "Everyone has any equal opportunity to do anything. It is a well-rounded performance that included everything from modern dance to ballet to tap or hip hop."

Continued...

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