Be a Dancing Diva in Orchesis!

untitledImagine being a dancing diva! Have you ever dreamed about dancing in a room filled with mirrors? Wilson College’s modern dance troupe Orchesis can make your dreams come true.

Wilson College offers a fine arts major and minor in dance. The Orchesis modern dance group has a ten-year history at Wilson. Each semester they also hold performances, including the traditional flash mob at Spring Fling.

Orchesis accepts everyone and welcomes all genders and skill levels. Christiana Bredbenner ’16, president of Orchesis, says, “If you can raise your hands, you can dance.”

Bredbenner, who majors in Veterinary Medical Technology, stated that she began participating in Orchesis her “very, very first semester,” in fall 2012. She participated in color guard at her high school, an experience that made her want to continue to perform. She found Orchesis filled her need for performance arts at Wilson.

Color guard and Orchesis have big differences, but she enjoys Orchesis too. Bredbenner said, “In Orchesis, even during a group piece, everyone does something different. And we have parts together.” Compared with Orchesis, color guard has more of a military style and is more organized.

Bredbenner suggests that students try it without fear. “If anyone has ever had slight interest in trying dance, even just the very very slight interest, please come and join us next semester or next year or whenever. We always have a lot of fun, work really well together and always laugh together. If you ever had the slightest little desire to ever try anything dance-related, this is such a great environment. We will teach you so much. It definitely gives you an opportunity that you have not had before,” said Bredbenner.

Also, Orchesis invites a famous choreographer to Wilson every semester. The visiting choreographer gives advice and teaches them about their performance.

This semester, Joshua Legg, a famous choreographer, watched the club members’ performance and gave advice. He says that Wilson College “must be one of the most beautiful college campuses in the US!”

Legg teaches Dance at Harvard University and recently published his book “The Introduction to Modern Dance Techniques.” He taught Orchesis about his performance. Bredbenner mentioned, “I was sore in my body. It was hard but really fun.”

Sarah Wain ’17, a business and dance major, says, “I love meeting new people, and working with choreography. It is a nice environment and it is a lot of fun.”

Orchesis offers group performances and personal performances. The audience is invited to interpret the meaning of each performance from their own perspectives.

Orchesis will perform on Nov. 14 at 7p.m. and on Nov. 15 at 1p.m. and 7p.m. in Appenzellar-Buchanan Dance Studio. Orchesis practices every Monday from 4pm to 6pm in the dance studio. For more information, contact Christiana Bredbenner at christiana.bredbenne@wilson.edu.

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