Courtesy | Holly Hobbs
The Tower Dancers’ 18th annual concert is taking place on Fri.April 16, Sat. April 17 at 8 p.m., and Sun. April 18 at 2 p.m. in the Sage Center for the Arts.
Their fall concert was cancelled, so the dancers are excited to perform. They have been practicing some of the dances since September, while most dancers began rehearsing in January, according to Tower light director and assistant professor of dance Holly Hobbs.
Several of the dances were choreographed by students, including junior Chloe Kersey and senior dance minor Kaitlyn Rowland.
There will be a mixture of classical ballet and modern pieces. Because of the pandemic, the dances include fewer dancers on stage per piece, so most of the pieces are quartets, duet, trios, and solos, senior Kaitlyn Rowland said.
“Students can expect to see a variety of dances in ballet and modern dance,” Hobbs said. “All dances have a thematic idea, however, not all dances tell a story. Some dances are more abstract and require audience members to welcome the unexpected rather than searching for the familiar.”
“My favorite part is seeing our seniors perform one last time,” Hobbs said. “I suspect the dancers are excited to return to the stage given that our last two concerts were cancelled.”
Hobbs hopes students will take a study break to experience “beauty in motion.”
“We haven’t been able to dance in person for so long that it’s just going to be a real joy for the dancers to be able to perform and hopefully a joy for the audience to watch as well,” Rowland said.
Freshman Lucy Fernandes just joined the Tower Dancers at the beginning of the semester.
“I love dancing because it unites a person’s body, mind, and soul in making something beautiful,” she said. “After such a long hiatus due to COVID, I am so excited for dance to be returning to Hillsdale’s stage.”