French music. A face on the wall eating gummy bears. Bright pink body suits. A recording telling the story of a woman giving birth. Someone playing the piano. Rapid rain drop sounds. Two bodies wrapped together in saran wrap.
These were among the 11 performances that happened at Undergrad Underground on March 7. The annual performance held in Haas studios is a space for undergraduates from the dance department to take center stage and show their moves. However, anyone who has interest in being a part of the show is welcome.
Kim Ip, a senior dance major, put together this year’s annual Undergrad Underground performance. The performance was reorganized about three years ago and has since grown into the show it is today.
“My goal was to hopefully not only allow this show to be a time and a place to go crazy with whatever kind of dance you love, but to also open it up to other departments,” Ip said.
The performance was held just before the Black and White Ball. The shows, one at 4 p.m. and one at 6 p.m., were scheduled specifically so they would not to conflict with the ball or Signal Flow, the graduate music concert.
For students who participate in UU, the performance is something they look forward to all year-long. It isn’t just a dance but a way of expression, passion and an outlet from their academic life.
“It’s a way for me to express myself when I can’t put words to my emotions. I’ve been dancing for a long time, and it’s helped me through the best times of my life and the hardest times of my life,” said sophomore Hayley Glicker, a dance minor.
The students also find that they are a part of large support group who encourage originality, doing something different and trying things out.
“I think it inspires people and let’s them have a voice in a dance world where sometimes you aren’t allowed to have one unless you’re super supreme,” said junior Mira Mason-Reader, who both choreographed and danced in the show. “It’s nice because of the fact that you can do anything you want in the show and just try out things and be totally supported.”
Families, significant others, friends, faculty and students came to the shows to give support, and the crowd was not disappointed.
“I think it was all very innovative: the music, the choreography and costumes. It was all really interesting, I’ve never been to something like this. It was something very new,” said Shakirah Harper, a first year who attended UU.
After every piece, the audience clapped and cheered for the dancers, and by the end, people were standing up and cheering for the whole production.
All the dancers stood in front of the audience one last time holding hands. After several months of juggling their studies and their pieces, the production could relax and soak in the appreciation and support from the audience.
For more photos, check out the Flickr album:
