Orchesis performed Thursday the 30th and Friday the 1st in alliance with Dance for Life. The performance, titled “In Perspective”, was held in the auditorium. The performance lasted approximately two hours and included several pieces of dance, broken up by a short intermission, and a sequence of video played in between performances consisting of thoughts on the dances by the dancers and their instructors. 

Dance for Life is a Chicago based organization founded in 1992 that helps raise awareness as well as funds for HIV/AIDS while at the same time supporting the Chicago dance community. Non-profit dance companies and performances contribute to Dance for Life foundation to help the cause. The organization is the largest AIDS fundraiser in the Midwest and has raised over $ 3 million for research and care.

Several pieces were performed in the auditorium, each with its own unique style, ranging from jazz dance, to ballet type dance. A variety of moods were displayed in the Orchesis’ performance.

Co president of Orchesis Natalie Godlewski said, “Dances performed showed up beat feelings, as well as angry ones”. A good example of this was one of the dances performed was patriotic, and the dancers costumes were complete with stars and stripes.

New effects available to Orchesis this year previously unavailable added a new sense of style to the performances. Fog machines were used in a number of pieces, as well as new lighting techniques.

The effects weren’t all that was new this year for Orchesis though. Even the way the dancers communicated was different. The less senior leadership created more of a “team effort” feeling according to Godlewski.

The Orchesis dancers worked together nearly every day since late February to create a flawless performance for the audience. The dancers also decided to bring back some dances from previous year.

Godlewski noted that a memorable moment of preparing for this months performance was the fun she and the rest of Orchesis had working with their choreographer Dinnette Connonie. Connonie added her own critique to the performances. She had described the inspiration behind one of the dances, Mon Confort, by telling the girls to imagine they had all just awakened on a street in a Paris in the middle of the night without any prior memory, and that they felt frightened, but comforted by knowing that they all shared these feelings.

“Cuckoo”, choreographed by Godlewski, was another dance rich with emotion. The dance opened with three dancers sitting in chairs, struggling to get out of them.
 “Natalie’s piece is dark and moody, and explores the struggle to get out of a confined situation” said co sponsor Jennifer Waldock.
           
Orchesis Co President Lauren DeRosier choreographed “Cell Block Tango,” a restage of the song from the musical, Chicago.

“Happy Ending,” the final dance was choreographed by Sophomore Kayla Muldoon.

Over the weekend a special guest choreographer Jon Lehrer from the Jon Lehrer Dance Company of NYC attended. The dancers performed past time favorites such as Jeff Hancock's The Mending, Our Favorite Son from Will Rogers Follies, RB alumn Jessica Piper's Hollow and more.
           
The Orchesis dancers gave a preview of their recent performance at Wowlapawzoola early in April. Orchesis sponsors Mindy Haines and Jennifer Waldock worked beside co presidents Godlewski and DeRosier and every member of Orchesis to create the essence that is Orchesis.

--Submitted by Brian Wilson, Staff Reporter