Dance students held their informal dance concert and performed an array of dances for an audience in the Dance Studio on Dec. 9 from 6:15 p.m. to 7:15 p.m.
Before the dance students started their performances and choreographed dance routines they were introduced by the Dance Chairs Rebekah Hathaway and Christine Gregory.
The informal dance concert showcased the creative work that the students produced as they progressed through dance skill classes and courses including Dance Improvisation and Choreography.
The performances were choreographed and designed, some by the students, as their dance routine in the concert was their final assessment for the dance class.
Many of the students showcased a bit of their personality in the types of dances they decided to showcase.
The styles of dance choreographed by students featured some of the following a Bollywood type of dance, slow contemporary dance, modern dance, ballet and Zumba.
This showcase showed the dance students participating and invited the audience to join in on their dance.
Rebekah Hathaway, the co-chair of the dance department, explained to the audience that Zumba was a dance that is supposed to be participatory and anyone can do Zumba.
Every performance performed was unique and had a lot of hard work put into the routines which did not go unnoticed by the crown which clapped and yelled after every showcase.
The showcase of dances performed was a testament to the students taking what they learned in class and putting it on the dance floor for an audience to enjoy.
The Dance Department also broadcasted a live stream of the performance on their YouTube channel for those who couldn’t make it in person.
After the construction of new facilities for the Dance Department of Cerritos College, many dance students expressed that it has helped them improve their dance skills with all the new resources.
“Since getting these new facilities I have seen the students improve,” Co-Chair of the Dance Department Rebekah Hathaway said, “they’re clear, they’re strong, they’re determined and I think I just want to enable them to come back even more”
Many families and friends showed up to support their friends or family members performing in the showcase.
Jose Alfredo, one of the dancer’s friends said, “I enjoyed it [and] I thought they did pretty good, it was pretty cool.”
“I’m actually 40 years old, I’ve worked a regular 9 to 5 job and what inspired me to move was the fact that I am just adamant about dance,” Erick Morales, a performer said.
“I’ve found a passion in dance [and] moving forward I want [to] use dance as therapy because it was for me and help others through dance.”
The Dance Department hopes to get more students to enroll in their dance class next year so they can continue to have these informal and formal concerts.
