Metea’s Orchesis Dance Company hosted its Annual Showcase, “Starstruck,” featuring various pieces and styles of dance choreographed by students on Jan. 30-31. Orchesis is a student-led club where dancers showcase their talent through styles such as contemporary, modern jazz, hip-hop, and more.
“Orchesis is a performing dance club that does two showcases. We do one in November and January,” senior Holly Bolden said.
What makes Orchesis unique is that it’s purely focused on the art and non-competitive. It’s a club where students who have been training since a young age provide students a way to express their art. Auditions take place in the last month of school, which is in May.
The team starts putting together the routines and begins rehearsals around late summer before school.
“ We start rehearsing in late July and leading up to shows, we do Tuesdays and Thursdays for three hours, then as we slowly approach the showcase, we practice every day till 9:30 or 10 o’clock,” Bolden said.
As they begin preparing for the new school year, the students of the club create choreographies and audition to be selected by the advisors of the Group. After the groups are selected, the practices begin, and all of the production, including props and costumes are taken care of by the advisors.
“The dancers then have to submit their choreographies. I watch those. I choose which dances we’d like to ultimately do in our showcase,” said the Orchesis Advisor, Kelly Davies.
For seniors on the team, this was their last annual showcase performance. Many of whom have been on the team for their entire high school career. As they leave, the team and the advisors are excited for new people to come and join them.
“These dancers are so passionate. I’m so excited to see where we’re gonna go next, and I can’t wait to make this program bigger and better,” Davies said.
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