For Lucie Fernandez, a senior and four-year member of DanceWorks, this semester’s DanceWorks performance is especially poignant.

A director and a choreographer of this year’s show, Fernandez said she was sad to be in her last show with DanceWorks, but extremely excited for the upcoming show. The annual spring show will run from Feb. 27 to March 1in Goldstein Auditorium.

Although the dancers will only be performing for three days, the entire DanceWorks crew has been training for the production since September.

“There is a higher technique level than in the past. The creativity and diversity in the show is impressive,” Fernandez said. “It will definitely keep people on their feet.”

Tickets for the show are available at the Schine Box Office, and cost $3 for students with a valid SUID, $5 for faculty and staff, and $7 for general admission. The theme for this year is Viva Las Vegas; Fernandez said the show will be both upbeat and performance-based.

As a choreographer for the show, Fernandez was in charge of song choices and coordinating the dance. As a two-time member of the executive board, Fernandez had similar responsibilities last year. She said that the focus of the show this year for her was much more on the feeling of college coming to a close. She also said that last year’s was much more focused on emotions than her own uncertainty.

“My influences are what’s going on in my life, what I’m feeling,” Fernandez said. “I tend to lead with my emotions.”

Brianna Peach, a junior and two-year member of DanceWorks, is the producer and another choreographer for the show this year. Peach said she was extremely optimistic about how the show will appeal to audiences.

“It is bigger, it is more powerful,” Peach said. “People are going to be surprised that DanceWorks can up their skill level.”

Khari Walser, a freshman fashion design major and dancer in the show, said the level of how well the DanceWorks Board operates meets the skill level of dancing.

“It’s completely student run,” he said, “So it’s been great to see how organized they are, and how established they are and how they have their own way of doing things.”

The show promises to incorporate a wide range of dance styles, Walser said.

From contemporary to hip-hop and jazz to tap, Peach said DanceWorks strives to make each show better than the last. There are about 100 performers in this semester’s show, each of whom auditioned to be a part of the group in the beginning of the year and have been training ever since.

The bond formed between performers is not merely a professional one, though, as Peach also said that dancers claim to have a home away from home through DanceWorks, and consider their fellow dancers like family.

Walser echoed Peach’s sentiments, saying that DanceWorks has also taught him a lot about what it means to be a dancer.

“I identify as a dancer because of my appreciation for dance and my passion for it. As a dancer, you’re always learning,” he said. “You can go to dance class and learn something new about your body, and new about yourself. Dance is a way of living and learning.”

When looking for dancers, Lucie Fernandez said she does not simply look at a person’s ability to dance. She strives to find ‘performers’ — the people who naturally draw your attention through their movements. The pieces for the show range from cheerful to deeply passionate.

Peach also said the dancers capture the range of the show’s pieces.

Said Peach: “You can’t see it when they walk down the street, but when they are on stage, it shines.”

Published on February 27, 2014 at 1:00 am

Contact Anjali: acalwis@syr.edu