Sophomore theater major, Elise Blann, rehearses her dance Wednesday afternoon in Roosevelt Hall. Blann will perform with others May 7 at 7:30 p.m. for the Spring Theater Dance Show. Erica Cassella/The Bulletin.
“That ‘70s Dance Show” is the theme of the spring theatre dance show this year, which will be held at 7:30p.m. on May 7, in the Bruder Theatre in King Hall.
“To dance is to soar. So, who shouldn’t try flying?” said Lindy Bartruff, dance teacher and choreographer at Emporia State.“This semester I wanted to pursue the ‘70s in light of the fall homecoming musical, ‘The Rocky Horror Show’. So, I listened to many great ‘70s hits and imagined various scenarios for dance pieces. Then I began to create and see the dancers in my head. They came up with 20 pieces, which includes an encore with any ‘disco divas’ in the audience.”
This spring, Bartruff conceived, directed and choreographed “That ‘70s Dance Show” for the spring season dance show.
“It is set in the ‘70s and we get to be groovy,” said Joshua Taylor, sophomore theater major. “I really just get to dance my socks off.”
There are 15 dancers in total, which is composed of Dance I and III students, students from private classes and two students who were cast in an open audition in March.
“There are 70 different colors of lights, and it will be awesome to have the lights with the songs and dances.” said Frankie Rizo, senior theater major. “It is a pretty decent dance show.”
This is the first time that the production will be held in Bruder Theatre.
“It is exciting that the dancers will be in a real space on a real dance floor,”Bartruff said.
Six of the 15 dancers are international, from Korea and Japan. Bartruff said that they add depth and sensibility.
“I wanted to make dancing accessible to any ‘body,’ which is why I always incorporate the audience. And it is also to invite professional experiences for the cast,” he said.
From love to war to rock and roll, the show will have dancers, lovers, fighters, rockers boogying with high bars, rolling scaffolds, mini trampolines and smashing guitars. Rizo is looking forward to seeing the final product of the dance show, while Taylor is looking forwards to the reaction of audience.
“We have wild bell bottoms and tie-dye tees the cast made themselves. We have a very special tap solo to ‘Papa Was a Rollin’ Stone’ that will bring down the house,” Bartruff said. “I’m looking forward to the dancers surprising themselves with saying ‘I didn’t know I could do that’ moments.”
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