For many years, the ETHS Dance Company (EDC) has hosted an annual dance showcase. This year’s show was “Radiate.” It featured 20 dances across a wide variety of genres, including a parent dance, a teacher dance and a dance with the varsity baseball team. There were shows on Friday, Feb. 23; Saturday, Feb. 24; and Sunday, Feb. 25.
I went on Sunday, the day of the parent dance, and it was sweet to see the dancers dancing with their parents. All the parents had clearly put in effort to learn the dances. Along with the choreographed dances, dancers and their parents did piggyback rides or fun handshakes. The parent dance might not have been as synchronized as the other dances, but it was apparent that everyone was having fun.
Throughout the rest of the dance, it amazed me how so many people could be so in sync. Every move was flawlessly executed, and the whole show flowed smoothly. They had complete trust in each other, a trust built through nearly six months of team dinners and rehearsals.
“It’s a really great community. I always feel supported by the other dancers and directions,” sophomore Hannah Davies reflects. “We spend so much time together; everyone gets so close.”
The months of preparation really shone when the dancers would pick each other up or flip one another around.
The show as a whole, music, lights, outfits, etc., was done well. Each component was coordinated perfectly; the colors of everything matching just right with the vibe of the song. For example, in the dance to the song “Dog Days Are Over” by Florence and the Machine, the blue-green dresses contrasted the white background, making it easy to see the dancers. The dresses also flowed and spun as the dancers moved, but didn’t restrict their movements or prevent you from seeing what was going on.
It was mesmerizing to watch, and my eyes couldn’t leave the stage as I tried to track every move and element of each performance. It was like every dancer was doing something different but also the exact same thing, and it all worked together like a well-oiled machine. There was one move in particular where the dancers created a human staircase for another dancer to walk up. I was amazed by how flawlessly it was done.
You could feel the passion surging through the dancers. Just from watching, I could tell how much time and energy every dancer put into each dance, and it impressed me even more when I remembered that many of these dances were student-choreographed. Each move went along perfectly with the music, and there was so much creativity, care, and thoughtfulness put into every detail.
“Choreographing for EDC has its difficulties but is ultimately so worth it,” senior Clara Macek said. “It is challenging to teach the dance since we only get 30 minutes once a week to instruct… but once the dance gets on the stage, everything comes together. As a choreographer, I also get to design and choose the costume and lighting for my dance. After putting so much creative vision into this process, seeing it come to life on stage is the most rewarding experience.”
There were intricacies in the choreography that you’d have to see to fully appreciate, and I think Macek and all the other students who choreographed did a fantastic job. Every single dance was unique, and I was never bored while watching the show.
“Radiate” was also fulfilling for the dancers and directors of the show.
“I always thoroughly enjoy watching everyone come together around our main show. It takes a lot of time, hard work, and dedication for everyone involved to make this a successful event. It’s truly rewarding, as a director, to see the close bond everyone has following such a demanding dance year,” Teonic said.
As an audience member, the show was spectacular, but it must have been incredible for the dancers to see all their hard work pay off and create something really beautiful. Overall, “Radiate” was an incredible show that was clearly worked hard on and well thought out. If you didn’t see “Radiate” this year, be sure to watch any EDC shows in the future.
