[ot-caption title=”Seniors Liz Poppiti and Gabrielle Izhakoff perform a variation from Swan Lake. (via Roshni Singh, Junior)” url=”https://pcpawprint.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/gabi-and-liz.jpg”]

The beginning of December is usually associated with a few weeks of higher than usual stress levels before the much deserved break. However, for the Pine Crest Dance department the first week of December is an opportunity to expose their talent and skill in the Dance Showcase performance. This past Friday, December 6th, Dance Showcase took place in Stacey Auditorium, and it was an outstanding night to witness the raw talent of the dancers.

Dance showcase is different from other performances because students are able to choose what they want to perform and have the ability to choreograph their own piece. As dance department head Mrs. Gooden said, “The students learn a variation or dance and audition it in front of a panel of judges who score each of the dances. The top dances are included in the Showcase.”

This year’s Dance Showcase was filled with a multitude of dance genres, and it was clear that each performer put a great deal of work into her piece. For the seniors, this marked their last Dance Showcase performance as well as one of the last times they will perform on the Pine Crest stage. Seniors Liz Poppiti, Gabrielle Izhakoff, and Arielle Rozencwaig performed classical ballet variations and Senior Sydney Hark-Odsess wowed the audience with a sassy tap variation. When asked about what Dance Showcase and the Dance Studio overall mean to her, Arielle explained her love for the close-knit community that has blossomed in the dance department, “The love and support found on and off the dance floor really makes the dance department what it is. One of my closest friends, Tatiana Kovalsky, was introduced to me as my duet partner 2 years ago and it was truly so special to wear my last Pine Crest tutu as we performed another duet together at the showcase. All of the dancers performed incredibly in the styles of their choice and I couldn’t be more thankful to have been a part of such an amazing night!”

In addition to the classical ballet variations, there were a variety of modern and contemporary pieces, such as that of sophomore Shannon Ballou. With each performance the audience’s applause grew louder as they were truly blown away by the energy and emotion of the performances. There were several unique pieces that demonstrated the wide range of genres of the showcase, such as Junior Nicole Thraum’s acrobatics piece and Junior Malini Basu’s dance of Indian Heritage. Dance Showcase 2014 was truly a special night for the Pine Crest dance community.