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REBECCA HALE
Reverb Editor
Late Sunday afternoon, students, faculty and community members filed into the Steele Hall Fieldhouse to watch Orchesis’ first ever faculty dance-off, a competition which pitted different departments against one another.
In the end the English Department won, with Iclal Vanwesenbeeck and Susan McGee’s performance to Missy Elliot and Ciara’s “Lose Control,” choreographed by junior English education major Mads Goc. Student Nicole Crisalli also danced in the piece.
Five other numbers were performed, all choreographed by students in Orchesis. Monica Kemp, a faculty member from the incubator, danced with student Meme Lawrence to Beyonce’s “Single Ladies,” choreographed by Tess Grosvenor.
Jodi Rzepka from Human Resources danced with students Hannah Wagner and Teresa Parker to Chelsi Campbell’s choreography to Ciara’s “1, 2 Step.”
Next up was Ralph Blasting of the Visual and Performing Arts Department, dancing with Kristen Heitzhaus and Sarah Dix to Goc’s choreography of Lady GaGa’s “Telephone.” Afterward, Sherri Mason and Kim Weborg-Benson of the Science Department performed with Sarah Ceiseilski to the Bee Gees’ “You Should be Dancing,” choreographed by Sam Hoepfinger.
The final piece was Lorde’s “Royals,” choreographed by Sierra Bedient, and included student Josh Ambrose and Diane Everett of the Spanish Department.
Goc, who organized the event, explained that Orchesis wanted to connect more with the campus and community, and created this event to demonstrate that ambition.
Though chorographing for faculty is a new experience for many members of Orchesis, it was, nonetheless, a positive one.
“Honestly, the faculty worked so hard,” Goc said. “They were so determined and practiced so hard, and I think that it brought out the best in our dancers, too.”
Goc also expressed her joy at having such a great turnout, and stressed that events like this one will surely happen in the future.
“We expected people to come, but we did not anticipate the audience that we got,” she said. “Also, the audience was just as engrossed in each performance as we were, which was incredible.”