- Choreographer Christine Roy teaches her dancers the moves for her dance.
More than 200 Northwestern students will put on their dancing shoes this weekend to present RUSH. The annual student dance showcase will have shows at 7:30 and 10 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 9, and Saturday, Oct. 10, in the Proscenium Theatre. There will also be shows at 2 and 4:30 p.m. on Oct. 10.
“This is the biggest show in RUSH history and everyone involved has worked so hard to make it the best,” said junior Jennifer Nilson, RUSH artistic director and choreographer.
Interim producer Vaughn Donahue is also excited for another year of RUSH. “There have been over 100 RUSH dances over the past seven years, but the choreographers continue to come up with something new each year and continue to push the envelope,” he said.
RUSH’s 18 dances this year feature styles including hip-hop, salsa, swing, story and belly dances with a light routine to finish the show. “There is such a broad variety of dance this year,” Nilson said. “All the dances bring their own exciting element to the show.”
RUSH is built on the belief that everyone can dance as long as they are willing to learn and push themselves.
“From the most experienced dancers to the people who just want to have fun and learn something new, there is a place for everyone,” Nilson said. “We hope this show is as exciting for the audiences as it is for all of us involved.”
Without having any formal dance lessons, Nilson and many others have gotten involved because they simply love to dance.
Junior Becca Hurley said, “I have always loved to dance but have never had formal lessons. RUSH gives everyone the opportunity to dance, regardless of their ability.” Nilson and Hurley both say dancing comes natural to them, and they are excited to share their gifts and talents with the RUSH audiences.
While dancing is the finished product that the audiences will see, there is more to RUSH than just the dancers. “The choreographers have worked so hard planning and teaching their dances,” Nilson said.
Junior Kait Koerselman has never choreographed a dance but said she was ready for the challenge. “My dance is a story dance, adapted from a real-life situation, so I wanted to stay true to the original story,” she said. “It has been challenging, but my dancers have been great to work with and I am happy with the end product.”