In conjunction with the division of kinesiology and athletics, the dance production class performed in “A Night of Colors” on May 5-7. The opening speaker, Alyson Cartagena, director of the Rio Hondo College Dance Program, stressed that the content of the event was created entirely by the students, who predominantly picked the music, wardrobe and planned the choreography.

The opening dance was called “Liquid Metal,” which set the tone for the rest of the evening. The opening dance itself seemed to balance a style of bold movements and naturalistic style. The different attitudes each dancer projected really made the dance interesting.

There were a total of 16 segments, each containing a different number of dancers, variety of props, tools and several types of music. The moniker of “Colors” was given to the event because of the wide spectrum of dance, music and props displayed. Seven different student choreographers spearheaded all of the creative decisions.

The dancers took hold and portrayed the moods and attitudes of each segment in each dance after the opener. The opener however,Liquid Metal, had a lot of mixed facial expressions and body attitudes, but it all looked confident and intentional. The dazzling gold costumes and the intricate movements prepared the audience for the experience they were going to experience.

The different dances featured different music, costumes, themes and emotions. Each theme of a segment was emphasised by their props and costumes on each part. “Sleeping Beauty Variations” was built up by five different dances, in which the dancers were dressed up like Puss in Boots, fairies, Little Red Riding Hood and a wolf.

Other noticeable dances were: “On Wednesdays We Wear Pink,” “Purple Sass,” “We are Gold” and “Through the Darkest Time.” A variety of different genres of music, ranging from alternative, pop and hip-hop were used in the event.

Student dancer and backstage manager Clarissa Osorez said:

“About 80 percent of the students that have choreographed and I have danced with are on their way to greater and higher things in their dance career, and it was a privilege to work with them. This is their final dance performance.” student dancer and backstage manager Clarissa Osorez said, “At the American Dance Academy, they won. Their piece won an award and they’re very proud of their work.”  

The dance she described was called “Nested Memories,” a dramatic interpretive dance which showed off other dancers’ most scarring or impactful memories. The seriousness and the impactful moves entranced the audience in the story the dancers told.

The finale was called “The Color Spectrum,” which was the culmination of all of the dancers’ skills and passion. Different groups of dancers wore different colors and portrayed the color through their dance, attitude and music, red representing passion and intent, and blue representing calm and fluidity.

After the finale, dancers paraded on stage, and the audience broke out in enthusiastic applause. Hard work, dedication and passion were very apparent throughout the show in its entirety. The performers’ professionalism and intensity created an impressive display of talent, which was a pleasure to behold.