Each semester, student-run dance troupes such as VIBE Dance Company, CHOREO Dance Crew, and Kinetic come together to present their work at the Student Dance Showcase. While SDS usually takes place late in the semester, this year it was programmed for March 14, giving the dance groups less time than typical to prepare their work.
College third-year Gabby Grau has been co-directing SDS since fall 2023.
“A lot of the dance groups don’t have their own show so this is where they perform their work, which is kind of the point of what we do, is that we want any given group, whether it’s an organization or not, to be able to have a show for themselves,” Grau said.
This semester’s unexpected showcase date has proven difficult for directors, choreographers, and dancers.
“It’s been more challenging for choreographers and dancers in terms of having to put something on stage in a shorter amount of time, … which is definitely stressful as a dancer and choreographer, and also really cool for a show,” Grau said.
The shorter time frame proved inspirational as well as demanding.
“I think it’s also forced people to think outside of the box in ways that you wouldn’t necessarily want to do if you had more time, with more improv and more acting, and less direct choreography,” College second-year and SDS co-director Tessa Higbee said.
Typically, groups have a time limit of around six and a half minutes, either for one individual longer piece or a few shorter ones. This semester, VIBE is presenting a piece of approximately three minutes.
Grau and Higbee are both members of VIBE Dance Company.
“I think in VIBE, especially the piece this semester, there are a couple of big group numbers, one of which was the audition combination, which they’ve done in the past, for the sake of already knowing bits of choreography ahead of time,” Grau said. “But then there are other sections of the dance that are more acting or staging-oriented, as opposed to being highly, highly choreographed. It gives dancers more room to feel personalized.”
College second-year Camille Coker is a CHOREO member and the director of a K-pop cover dance decided to minimize the number of pieces she participates in this semester due to the schedule change.
“CHOREO’s three wonderful directors, [College third-year] Annalise Curl, [College fourth-year] Evelyn Williamson, and [College fourth-year] Julia Stuart, have been incredible about choreographing and teaching this semester’s piece in such a short amount of time, whereas for my K-pop cover, we actually began learning the choreography back in December to make sure we would have the routine completed in time for the show,” Coker said.
Coker also remarked that the unexpected schedule has cut into dance groups’ community bonding time.
“My favorite part of being in SDS is the time I get to spend with friends — old and new — at dance practices, which has been reduced by the show’s early date,” Coker said.
This semester is not the first time that SDS has had a nontraditional date. Last semester, the showcase was programmed for early December, right before finals.
“The show was longer than usual last semester, and everyone’s pieces were more developed in terms of length, choreography, and choreographic intensity than what we’re used to seeing,” Grau said. “It’s kind of like we’ve been on both extremes this year.”
One unique quality of Oberlin dance in general is Warner Main Space — particularly Warner’s hardwood floors. Many dance studios use a roll-out vinyl flooring called Marley floors that provide a safe and durable surface. Warner notably does not have such flooring. This year, however, Marley floors have been implemented in Warner main for the performance to protect Warner’s wood floors.
“This way the performers are allowed to wear shoes and use tap boards and props that they wouldn’t otherwise be allowed to use, because Marley is protecting the floors,” Higbee said. “So by putting it down before tech, we’re trying to get in as much rehearsal time on the Marley because it’s such a different surface than all the other floors in Warner.”
Because of this change in the space, the directors made efforts to acclimate the performers and choreographers to the changed floors.
“If you think about it, for the dancers, it feels different to be moving on the Marley, but also in terms of lighting design, it’s also really different, because it’s like a black floor versus a wooden floor, so the lighting design looks so different,” Grau said. “This semester, we have made an effort and are successfully having the Marley be put down before our tech so that when the choreographers are up there with the lighting designers and saying ‘I want blue,’ they can see what it’ll actually look like on the Marley floor before the show.”
Despite the challenges this semester, Grau and Higbee are excited to see what this semester brings for SDS.
“It is always interesting with SDS because of the nature of what it is,” Grau said. “I just like seeing the flow between all of the very different genres, songs, styles, looks, and aesthetics. That’s always the most fun part of this, because there will be swing dance, then it’s a hip hop dance, then it’s a ballet number, then it’s a jazz number, oh, wait now they’re being sexy. The constant change and flow of the show is always really fun for me to see, and I think it will be especially fun this time.”
