Orchesis dances off budget cuts

With recent budget cuts forcing University of Northern Iowa to get rid of several programs, rumors have spread around campus that the UNI dance program is in trouble.  However, one thing is for sure. Orchesis, UNI’s dance club, is here to stay.
   
“No matter what happens to the dance program, Orchesis will be here next year,” said Orchesis president Liz Schroeder.  No further information on the fate of the dance program was available at press time.
   
Orchesis performs at two major shows throughout the year.  In the fall, they share the stage with UNI’s International Dance Theatre for the Family Fest Dance Concert.  For the remainder of the year, Orchesis works on choreographing and performing a full-length final dance concert in the spring.
   
Orchesis performed this year’s final concert, entitled “Melange,” Friday and Saturday at the Oster Reagent Theatre on Main Street.
   
The show consisted of 19 dances including ballet, tap, jazz, clogging, contemporary, modern and pointe styles of dance.  There were two guest performances, including one from the International Dance Theatre and another from a dance group called IBM. 
   
The choreography for the dances was a collaborative effort made by members of Orchesis, instructor Valerie Williams and a guest choreographer. 
   
“(Our last performance together) is a bittersweet moment,” said Schroeder.  “I will miss the members that are leaving. However, it is exciting to know that new members will join Orchesis next year, so I will get to meet new dancers who share a passion for dance.”
   
The group put a lot of effort into putting together their final show. Members of Orchesis are required to take a two-hour class every Monday and Wednesday that focuses solely on their dance technique. Outside of the class, Orchesis works on each of the dances to be performed in a show for about an hour  weekly.
   
All of the time and work that the group have helped them stay determined to keep moving forward, despite possible budget cuts.  Orchesis has been going strong since 1926, and they are striving to carry on the tradition.

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