[ot-caption title=”Dance Etc. is an annual favorite at the Pine, wowing students, faculty, and administration alike. (via Alana Steinberg ’14)” url=”https://pcpawprint.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/1149510_10201978154727482_340970293_o-1024×6831.jpg”]

Once known as “Jazz Workshop,” Dance Etc. has evolved over the years into a large production including many of Pine Crest’s most talented dancers who strive to succeed on stage while looking to have fun.

The annual Dance Etc. showcase contains various genres of dance; this year, it ranges from musical theater to classical ballet. For the first time in recent years, Dance Etc. will showcase their talents during the school day.  There are two showcases occurring November 25th at 8:15am for Lower and Middle School and at the 9:36am for the Upper School.

The talent of the students is not the only thing being showcased. The dance teachers, Mrs. Gooden, Mrs. Cichoski, and Mrs. Boyd (formerly Miss Allred), all took part in choreographing these diverse pieces, giving their taste and creative input for the show.

For the first time this year, the entire dance faculty choreographed the dances rather than years past when they had to add an additional choreographer such as a guest or a student.

The goal for Dance Etc., according to Mrs. Cichoski, is “to expose the audience to the countless forms of dance that many are probably unaware of.” Her personal favorite of this year’s showcase is a classical piece from Swan Lake that was choreographed by Mrs. Gooden.

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Dance Etc. is broken up into two separate companies, the Junior and Senior Company. All its members went through an audition process at the beginning of the year and were put in their designated dances. The Junior Company consists of students in grades seventh and eighth and the Senior Company consists of grades ninth through twelfth.

Elizabeth Poppiti, senior, is most looking forward to the performance since it will be one of the last times she will be able to dance with her fellow dancers until they have to part their separate ways at graduation in May.

A lifer since seventh grade of Dance Etc., Poppiti will be performing in the Swan Lake excerpt and a contemporary piece to the song “All of Me.”

Another dancer, Emma O’Byrne, sophomore, is also in the Swan Lake piece, but one of her favorite pieces is the contemporary dance on pointe because “the style contrasts are different from previous work she has done.”

Like Elizabeth and Emma, all the dancers are looking forward to their performances to show the Pine Crest community what they have been working on.