Many dance students get the opportunity to participate in this year’s dance concert, yet not all of them get the opportunity to choreograph a piece for the concert. Junior BA theater major Maggie Savoie is the only student that has been chosen to be the concert’s student choreographer by the department staff.
With years of choreography classes and workshops under her belt, Savoie said she feels prepared to take on the role of the student choreographer. She also assisted with choreography for Otterbein’s production of “Les Miserables” in the fall and for last year’s dance concert.
“I’ve been pushing a lot, I’ve been working a lot at choreography,” she said.
Although, Savoie has prepared well for this role, it has also been a challenge. She has choreographed and successfully taught a dance to a cast of 31 people. She said she was nervous at first because she usually works with between six and 10 people.
But Savoie used the challenge as a learning experience.
“It’s been a lot of fun. This piece has been a lot of work but it has pushed me in a really good way because it’s something that I don’t normally do.”
The theme of the dance concert this year is bringing back dances that have been performed in past dance concerts. However, Savoie’s piece is brand new and inspired by the Rockettes. Her piece serves as the grand finale for the entire dance concert.
“It pulls everything together,” she said. “It’s the big show-stopper, finish sort of piece.”
While being chosen as the student choreographer for dance concert may have been an intimidating feat, Savoie said she enjoyed the experience and is happy with the result.
“It’s really fun because it’s an experience that a lot of students don’t get to have before they’re out in the real world.” Savoie says, “It’s working on a pretty much professional production.”
This year’s dance concert is titled “Dance 2013: Once Again.” The last performances are Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m. at Cowan Hall.
