"To live is to dance, to dance is to live."
This quote by Charles M. Schultz is the motto for the Synergy Dance Company at the College. On Sunday, the company proved it true by performing numbers that encompassed different styles of dance and the personal techniques of the girls who choreographed and performed in their Seventh Annual Spring Recital on the Kendall Hall Main Stage.
"There were 17 dances in the show this year, all of which were choreographed by different members of the company," Kaitlin Papson, senior chemistry major and Synergy president, said. "Each choreographer (or group of choreographers) chose the song and costume for their dance."
The dancing styles included ballet, jazz, tap, Pointe and modern. Song choices ranged from pop to Broadway tunes like "All that Jazz" to Indian rap and even lyrics from the poem "Phenomenal Woman" by Maya Angelou.
Costumes often reflected the choreography and song choice with hip-hop dancers wearing handkerchiefs and matching tank tops, and Pointe dancers wearing red tutus in honor of the song choice "El Tango de Roxanne" from "Moulin Rouge."
All of the numbers were preceded with anecdotes and heartfelt thank-you's from the team's members to the dancers and the audience. The audience members, consisting of friends and family of the dancers, clapped enthusiastically after every dance.
"I like the different styles of dance that Synergy brought to the stage," Danny Giovenco, freshman communication studies major, said. "It kept the show exciting."
Lots of hard work went into the production, and all the members of Synergy were responsible for the end product. In the fall, Synergy members worked on their training and technique with the help of three captains: Janna Raudenbush, sophomore communication studies major; Sharlene Sanidad, senior psychology major; and Laura Stulmanis, senior biology and chemistry major.
However, in the spring, the girls of Synergy put all their efforts into the recital production.
"The spring semester is run by our two production managers," Papson said. "They organize the entire show, arrange the sound and lighting for each dance, make the tickets and the programs, schedule practices, work with Kendall to create a contract and just make sure everything runs smoothly."
Papson also mentioned the contributions of the executive board in keeping the organization running smoothly and helping to plan the recital.
Synergy is also involved in Lolla-NoBooza, Homecoming's Lip Sync and Dance, Accepted Students Day, Relay for Life and Dancers for Cancer, but the Annual Spring Recital is the crowning achievement of its year and the only thing it puts on exclusively.
The senior members expressed their sadness at their last performance on stage and ended the show with a senior dance to the song "Queen of the Night" - the same song they had auditioned to during freshman year.
They agreed that it would be a tearful goodbye but also that their four years in Synergy had been amazing.
At the conclusion of the recital, all of Synergy's members appeared on stage and were applauded for their efforts and the talents showcased.
The members thanked everyone who helped with the show, including advisor Kevin Potucek, who videotaped the show.
