On the night of Friday, April 11, students crowded the dance building to support their friends in the 2025 Spring Dance Show. As the red curtains were drawn back, marking the start of the show, the dancers all put their best effort into the performance. From beginner to pre-professional dances, there was a noticeable passion radiating from every dancer who stepped onto the stage.
This performance was a true reflection of the students’ hard work throughout the year to learn and grow as dancers. “The easy work is the performing,” Aranza Alcala said, “ the hard work is the day-by-day rehearsal and trying to get corrections and fix them—that goes for months.”
The pre-professional dancers had five pieces, one of them being eight-minutes long. Performing all new dances, the dancers had to know how to work together. Senior Lexi Bickley said, “I feel like we had a really good group this year.” Bickley, in her sixth year as a dancer with Grier and in her fourth year as a pre-professional dancer, performed in the Spring Dance Show for her last time. As the only senior this year in the pre-professional program, the night was bittersweet, and her emotions reflected that.
Danielle Bower’s piece, “In The Twilight” was a fan favorite. The back curtain was pulled away for this dance so that the pre-professionals were dancing in front of a backdrop of mirrors. The dancers performed to a Florence and the Machine song, “Cosmic Love.” Bower has always loved the poetry and visuals in Florence’s music, especially how her lyrics paint vivid images. “I was like, how can I make this different for [the dancers] where they feel like they’re in a whole new universe?” Bower said.
Bower had been hesitant to work with the mirrors at first, but after winter break she decided to take the risk. By experimenting with the lighting, she discovered the powerful effect the mirrors could create. Both the audience and the dancers were able to see themselves reflected throughout the piece. “In a time in our country where everything feels so divided,” Bower said, “I just wanted to be super inviting and just make the audience feel like dance is a little bit more human and that they can connect to us as people.”
The Spring Dance Show was one of the pre-professional’s more relaxed performances, especially after returning from a trip to New York. They had the chance to put-together some of their best pieces from throughout the year and share these with their home community at Grier. One of the dances, “Destined,” was choreographed by Darrell Grand Moultrie, whom the pre-professionals had the opportunity to work with back in October. “He actually came in my freshman year, so him coming back for my senior year was really cool,” Bickley said.
Another special guest choreographer was Ahmad Simmons, who came in February and choreographed “The Mad Hatter.” This was the last performance at the Spring Dance Show and acted as a teaser for the school’s upcoming musical, which is debuting on May 2nd and 3rd.
This Spring Dance Show also gave dancers who don’t usually get the chance to perform an opportunity to take the stage. Students learned choreography suited to their level, and both the music and steps were carefully chosen by the instructors who are all highly versatile in many different styles of dance. “From the beginners to the pre-pros, you can really see that the teachers really put a lot of time into it,” Alcala said.
Beyond choreography and music selection, there are many preparations that go into these shows, especially during the week leading up to the performance. Students have tech rehearsals where they practice their dances in the performance space and with lighting. The dancers themselves follow different personal routines to prepare for a show. Many focus on getting plenty of sleep and properly fueling their bodies. Alcala said, “When I get there, I can just concentrate on giving it my best.”
The Spring Dance Show beautifully showcased the talent of Grier’s dancers and gave the instructors a chance to highlight their dancers’ hard work for the whole Grier community. Dance is a freedom of movement which the instructors think everyone should experience. “I think that people shouldn’t be afraid to engage in dance,” Bower said. “Just come and try it, and see what it does for you.”
