The Claddagh Dancers Irish Dance Showcase kicked off an entire weekend of dance. Performances were showcased by Sacred Heart University’s (SHU) Dance Company, SHU Mo(VE)ment, Inception Dance Crew and the SHU Dance Ensemble.
On Thursday, April 21, the Claddagh Dancers Irish Dance Ensemble performed in their showcase at the Edgerton Center. The performance contained a variety of dances, ranging from modern to more traditional styled pieces.
“Many of our dancers, including myself, have never had a solely Irish Dance Ensemble show at SHU, so it is really exciting having this opportunity to perform and share our dances with the community,” said junior Abigail Lupinacci.
A lot went into preparing for the performance. The Claddagh Dancers had 20 different pieces to choreograph, rehearse and learn. One of the pieces in the show titled, “The Grackle,” was choreographed by the five dancers in the number and their coach, Allison Wetterauw.
“‘The Grackle,’ is really special because the music and the energy that the dancers bring remind me why I love Irish dance so much. It was such a team effort having the dancers performing it, actually choreographing it as well,” said junior Grace Kelliher.
The Claddagh Dancers’ showcase was not the only performance that took a lot of rehearsing and preparing. Dancers in the SHU Dance Company and the SHU Dance Ensemble had to learn a variety of dances, some in a short amount of time.
“We have nonstop rehearsals starting the first week of each semester. Some student and professional choreographers for company and ensemble work once a week with their cast, but we have some professional guest choreographers that only come a handful of times during the semester,” said dance company coordinator Sidney Choothesa. “So, some pieces are rehearsed weekly, and others have only had a single weekend to learn.”
The weekend of dance performances began on April 21 and concluded on April 24. However, as the semester comes to an end, there are many more events for students to enjoy.
The SHU Student Chamber Ensembles presents the Instrumental Chamber Ensembles Concert on April 29 at 8 p.m. The concert will feature all the small chamber ensembles within the program. The music in the concert will range in both style and genre, from traditional pieces to more modern and contemporary pieces.
“The music that we are going to present at this concert is a different kind of music, and it requires a different kind of engagement from the audience,” said the director of bands and orchestra Keith Johnston. “It allows you to really dig down within yourself and make a musical connection between yourself, the performers and the music that they’re playing.”
The Instrumental Chamber Ensembles Concert will take place in the SHU Community Theater, as well as the SHU Orchestra Spring Concert.
The SHU Orchestra will perform its annual spring concert on May 1, at 3 p.m. The concert will feature Haydn’s Symphony No. 100, also known as the “Military” symphony. It will also feature music of Josh Groban and music from the film series, “Pirates of the Caribbean.”
“We are all part of the same community and I encourage everyone to please go and support your fellow Sacred Heart students who have put so much time and energy into preparing something. It’s also a fantastic opportunity to hear some music that we don’t necessarily get to hear in our day to day lives,” said Johnston.
The SHU Choral Program will also present Kaleidoscope: A Celebration of Diversity. The concert will feature a diverse selection of American Choral music. It will take place on April 30, at 7:30 p.m. at the Edgerton Center. For tickets and more information on the upcoming events visit, http://edgertoncenter.org/.
