‘Rise’ performance by IndepenDANCE

As humans, it is common to feel the joy of our own success and the thrill of doing something we are truly passionate about. However, it is rare to witness it in someone else.

Getting to sit in the audience of the IndepenDANCE community dance project’s performance — RISE — provided that rare experience. On Saturday, Sept 9 in the Wilson Auditorium, audience members had the opportunity to watch over a hundred dancers perform on a multicolored stage.

 “Most dancers, once they get college-aged and beyond they don’t have an outlet for dance anymore so that’s what we form,” Stevie Peterson, the executive Director of IndepenDANCE said. The nonprofit organization gives an annual opportunity for adults to dance, create, connect and perform together, she added.

This past weekend was their 15th annual performance and the theme was ‘rise’. The performance consisted of multiple styles of dance, from contemporary and jazz, tap and ballet to multiple cultural dances and many others. The performance is the final debut of eight months of work starting in February. The show included around 130 dancers organized by 28 choreographers, culminating in 20 unique dance pieces. 

Their theme, explained by emcee Steven Harris-Weiel, was centered on self and empowerment. At the start of the show Harris-Weiel got the audience to chant in three different parts ‘we rise together’ to send the message of the night home. 

“We try to welcome anyone who wants to be a part of the show to be a part of it, so we have an audition process  but we try to find space for everyone,” Peterson said. 

Dezaray Paunovich, IndepenDANCE Treasurer and member of their show committee said, “our goal is to always be inclusive and to give this outlet for individuals and be welcoming.”

Nina Shaw, a former MSU dance coach and current IndepenDANCE dancer and choreographer said that being in the moment for the dances was what excited her about the show. “But the final bow is so fun being all together,” she said. 

Shaw echoed Peterson in saying that it is harder for adults after they turn 18 to find opportunities to perform, so IndepenDANCE’s venue to perform is a positive outlet to do this. 

The show itself was really made one-of-a-kind by the audience participation and support. During the first act Harris-Weiel asked the audience and almost everyone who attended was there to support one of the dancers. Whether it was friends, family, neighbors, fiances or co-workers, the applause was resounding for each individual performance. 

Shaw said that the positive energy of all the dancers was only supported by the fact that her parents and fiance were in the audience. 

“I love to perform, I love that this is a thing that exists, that allows people to do this once they’re grown up,” Paunovich said. “I’m not a professional dancer, yet I get to choreograph and I get to meet amazing people who want to dance.” 

As a whole, the performance engaged people by helping them to share sharing their passion. Being supported by those around them, made it easy to see how much the show means to the IndepenDANCE community. “All of those people are doing what they love, we get wonderful feedback afterwards from our dancers and that’s why people keep coming back,” Peterson said.