Dancers perform in “Echoes of Choice” by choreographer Astrid Ariana. Photo by Hannah Barone.

SAMANTHA RITTENBERG | STAFF REPORTER | srittenberg@butler.edu

Butler University’s ballet program is among the top five in the country. Each year, the dancers perform five shows: the Student Choreography Showcase, The Nutcracker, the Midwinter Show, the Senior Choreography Showcase and the Spring Ballet. 

This year’s Student Choreography Showcase was held Oct. 23-25 in Lily Hall — home of the arts students. There have only been two shows in the past, but due to high demand a third show was added to the schedule starting this year.

The Student Choreography Showcase was entirely student-led from the intricate dances down to the lighting. This year, there were 10 featured pieces demonstrating genres of dance including ballet, contemporary, jazz, neoclassical and salsa. Each dance had original choreography and ranged from three to 12 dancers.

Due to the program’s duration, there are strict rules on how many people can choreograph pieces each year and how long the dances can be. The number of dances is capped at 10, and each performance can only last up to five minutes. 

The short and sweet performances are similar to a series of anecdotes and add an element of uniqueness to the show. The nature of the quick performances leads the audience members to have their eyes glued to the stage for the entire show. Unlike The Nutcracker, in which there is only one intermission, this particular show provides the audience a chance between each act to discuss elements of the dance and read their programs to see what awaits them.

This free show was open to the public and was an accredited Butler Cultural Requirement event and an Honors Community Event.

The Student Choreography Showcase has not always been the big show it is today. It started as a way to allow upper-class students to utilize their dance composition skills but has since expanded to become a staple of Butler Ballet, allowing even first-year dancers the chance to compose. 

Choreographers play a significant role in this production and have the freedom to choose everything for their piece, including the music, costumes, makeup and — of course — the choreography that their dancers perform. They also have the choice to insert themselves into the piece as a dancer.

Sophomore dance arts administration major Logan Byrd loved having the opportunity to choreograph for the first time this year. 

“My favorite [part of the process] has to be seeing my dancers on stage and them reciprocating [the energy] I poured into this choreography and dance,” Byrd said. “It’s validating and rewarding for me to really connect with what they’re feeling. I’m only giving choreography. They’re the dancers. They’re the ones that make the vision come to life, and so it’s really up to them.”

While some dances are simply fun and free-spirited, others have a deeper meaning to them. More than ever before, there were dances exploring new genres and subject matter. 

Junior dance arts administration major Charlotte Christina Grace was in a piece this year with a political undertone. 

“There tend to be a lot of pieces that reflect what we’re experiencing in the world, whether that’s on the student level or the political level,” Grace said. “I’ve seen commentaries before on the feminist movement [and] the Black Lives Matter movement, but [dancers are also being inspired by] technology and just a bunch of cool things.”

The Butler Ballet dancers spend countless hours rehearsing for their productions on top of other schoolwork and commitments. 

Sophomore dance performance major Carlee Skimming expresses her thoughts on the balancing act.

“The hardest part is the timing of everything,” Skimming said. “We had three performances we were working on at once, so we would have three different rehearsals all in one day. We had [practice for] a special project that we did on Homecoming, [the] student choreography and The Nutcracker.”

Aside from the Senior Choreography Showcase — where only seniors have the chance to choreograph dances — the Student Choreography Showcase is the sole opportunity for dance students to create their own production during the school year. 

Students do not often have the chance to illustrate their creativity through the exploration of choreographing dances for their peers. The Student Choreography Showcase allows dancers to examine challenging and new topics along with the opportunity to collaborate with others in the department in a beautiful way. 

Details for future Butler Ballet performances can be found on the Butler Arts and Events Center website.