Alana George, Campus Carrier Asst. Arts & Living Editor
Berry College Dance Troupe’s fall show, “A Night at the Movies,”opens this Friday.
The show will consist of seven dances, each based on a different movie. Thirty dancers will bring different aspects of the movies to life. The dances are based on “Ghostbusters” (2017), “Mulan,” “Sleeping Beauty,” “Slumdog Millionaire,” “Burlesque,” “Divergent,” and “Chicago.”
Junior Amanda Tomlinson, the student manager of the troupe, choreographed the dance based on “Ghostbusters”.
“I think people are going to see films that they know and love in a totally new light,” Tomlinson said. “Dance is such a unique medium of art that we can tell stories in a different way than we typically see them.”
Tomlinson thinks this show is unique because of the level of student involvement in it. Student choreographers are responsible for five of the dances and there will be students stage-managing as well.
Jeanne Schul, lecturer in dance and founder of the dance troupe, said this concert stands out because of the characterization involved in each piece.
“One of the things we’re doing is not just creating dances to songs, but we’re working on creating the character or the energy of each of the movies represented,” Schul said.
According to Schul, the troupe will introduce each dance with a clip from the movie being represented to aid the audience in transitioning from one dance to the next and give them a feel for the style of dance they are about to see.
The wide variety of dance styles being represented in the show will include ballet, Bollywood, jazz and a classic Bob Fosse-style piece.
Tomlinson has invested a lot of time and energy into this show. She and her assistant manager, sophomore Rebecca Tejeda, returned to Berry this fall a week early to prepare. Auditions occurred on the second day of classes. Rehearsals were in full swing by September. Tomlinson calls the rehearsal process “pretty intense,” especially since these rehearsals overlap with those for the spring show.
Schul said that the auditions were held in their newly-renovated studio. With audition week at the beginning of the semester, the troupe has been rehearsing for this show for 12 weeks.
“I think people are going to see films that they know and love in a totally new light,” Tomlinson said. “Dance is such a unique medium of art that we can tell stories in a different way than we typically see them.”
Overall, Tomlinson and Schul are excited for everyone to see the show, and for all of the troupe’s hard work to be recognized.
“I think we’re going to see a really dynamic show that is varied in style and also in the kinds of movies that we are showing,” Tomlinson said.
Tickets are $3 for students, and popcorn is included with the price of admission to set the mood. The show will be in Ford Auditorium this Friday and Saturday starting at 7:30 p.m.