The holiday season is upon us, and for all you dance fans out there, that means, "The Nutcracker." Again.
Of course, for most people, the past 18 renditions of Tchaikovsky's candy classic were enough to cause cavities.
Luckily, when looking for a sizzling dance performance not involving fairies in sugarplum pink, one doesn't have to leave campus.
Expressions, a dance company of 11 girls, opened their fall show last night and will perform in the Frist Theatre tonight. Each has talent to spare and extensive training in all of the popular schools of American dance: ballet, pointe, jazz, modern, tap and hip hop.
The ber-dedicated girls have devoted many hours a week to grueling rehearsals, even returning early from fall break for what members call "marathon days" to prepare for the show.
The performance is the first of Expressions' two major productions this year.
"Each week in the semester is devoted to learning a different piece of choreography, and all pieces learned since the beginning of the semester are reviewed at the week's end," Expressions member Ashley Boizelle '04 said.
The girls warm up for 45 minutes and then learn new choreography. The pieces are performed by variously sized ensembles, from two to all 11 members.
Despite the enormous commitment involved, dancer Lisa Keels '03 insists enthusiastically that the long rehearsals enable the members to form a close bond on and off stage.
Boizelle echoed Keels. "Expressions is more than a dance company," she said. "It's a world all its own — a support network, a family and an amazing opportunity to create, entertain and get down with Princeton's best!"
For this performance, to add to the excitement, Bridget Nolan '02, a talented Irish dancer, will perform as well. Nolan is best known for her work with the famous Irish sensation, Riverdance.
Helene Goldsmith '02 and Ali Bauer '02, are the group's official choreographers, but Goldsmith pointed out the advantages of participating in such a close-knit group.
"Because we are a small company," she said, "each dancer has the opportunity to choreograph after being with the company for a semester, which also adds to the variety in our show."
Keels added: "Since each dance is student-choreographed, there is freedom for a member to chose any song/style she likes."
Expressions, the oldest dance company on campus, will be showcasing 14 numbers in eclectic styles of dance. The dancers will show off their moves to U2, Mary J. Blige, Fiona Apple, Alicia Keyes and many others.
With such a variety of musical and dance styles, the show has the potential to appeal to audience members with different tastes. Most show-goers are sure to find something that makes them tap their feet.
"The show will be a lot of fun to watch, and we are so excited to perform!" Goldsmith said.
The Expressions fall show costs $6 for students and $10 for general admission. Tickets may be purchased with Passport to the Arts.
With its versatility and modern moves, Expressions is sure to be a lot more exciting than another rendition of "The Nutcracker" this holiday season.
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