Grand Valley State University Department of Music, Theatre and Dance students kicked off the semester with an end-of-summer outdoor performance in Grand Rapids. The Summer Dance Festival was hosted by Grand Rapids Ballet (GRB), giving West Michigan dancers the opportunity to showcase their talents to their local community.
“It was so nice to be around people who wanted to celebrate dance because that is what we all love,” said Eliana Weinert, a GVSU dance major who choreographed a number for the GVSU dance program to perform at the festival. “There was such a wide variety of who (was) performing, like hip-hop groups and ballet groups.”
GRB is Michigan’s only classical ballet company, and frequently collaborates with the local dance community. The Summer Dance Festival took place Aug. 23-24 at the Peter Martin Wege Theatre, and was advertised as a free, family-friendly event representing a range of dance genres and talent, as well as outdoor festival events such as face painting, food trucks and drink tents.
The GVSU dancers performed three student-choreographed pieces, two having been created specifically for the event. While this was the third time that the dance program had been invited to perform at the Summer Dance Festival, it was the first time the students had been given the opportunity to choreograph the performed pieces.
“It is so vulnerable to put your choreography on stage,” Weinert said. “The dancers need to know what to do on stage, but as a choreographer, you have to sit back and watch it all happen. It was a great opportunity for us.”
Janelle Weiberg, a GVSU exercise science and dance major, performed in two of the pieces at the festival. The first piece was a traditional, contemporary dance, while the second featured dark costuming, sharp turns and a modern style.
“I have never performed outside before, so having the sun in your face was a cool feeling,” Weiberg said. “The atmosphere was welcoming, and there were things for everyone to do.”
The third piece performed by GVSU dancers was performed in blue costuming with scarves tied around the wrists of the performers. Shelby Stewart, a GVSU dance major who danced in the piece at the festival, said that the atmosphere of the event was uplifting and encouraging.
“More people can view what we do at Grand Valley to see if anyone wants to join the (dance) program,” Stewart said.
Stewart added that having performance opportunities like this can not only expose the public to the GVSU dance program, but also give the dancers an opportunity to perform in different climates and to different audiences.
“It was important for me (to be involved) because it (gave me the opportunity to) perform in a different environment,” Stewart said.
Dance students emphasized that they are excited about the upcoming events GVSU’s dance program has for them this semester, such as the seniors’ capstone projects, choreography and performance opportunities offered by the student-run charity organization Momentum and the Dance Department showcase in November.
