The Rio Hondo College Dance Program hosted An Evening of Dance: A Repertory Concert on Thursday and Friday. Under the direction of Dr. Alyson Cartagena, the dance program is designed to “further the skills of both the dancer and non-dancer…” Students performed from the modern dance classes and dance repertory. There were also pieces by the Dance Collective, Rio Hondo’s touring dance troupe.

Each segment of the concert was made up of a variety of dance styles, mainly ballet. World-renowned dance professionals such as Lar Lubovitch and the MN Dance Company inspired many of the evening’s selections. Themes ranged from elegant, to sensual, to abstract.

“You get to link music and emotions and you get to show that to people.”

Most of the pieces at An Evening of Dance were staged by faculty members Dr. Cartagena, Lisa Jay, Kristina Urteaga, Rachel Lopez, Carol McDowell, and Paige Melvin Zink. However, a number of segments were choreographed and performed by students.

David Bernal performed “Cocoon,” which he also wrote. As Bernal took the stage, fog filled the house to give the audience a unique atmosphere. Once on stage, he showed off an exotic solo set to tribal music. Bernal earned sig praise, as he represented Rio Hondo at the 2018 American College Dance Festival.

Bernal was also one of three students accepted into the Limón Dance Company’s West Coast Summer Program. The workshop provides students two weeks of training under Colin Connor, Limón’s artistic director. Bernal, as well as Jaylani De La Cruz, and Clarissa Caguioa all won scholarships to attend.

Darlene Adams is a student in her first semester with the dance program. She described the synergy that comes with being a dancer and the thrill of performing. “You get to link music and emotions and you get to show that to people,” Adams said. “You can really inspire people through that.”

Rio Hondo Dance Collective auditions are on Thursday, May 18 at 1:00pm in room 141 of the KDA complex.