“I tend to hold back on proving myself and my ability with dance,” Kyrlowicz said. “This is my moment to show my personality through movement.” 

Krylowicz’s self-choreographed solo titled “Uncharted Chapter” is a contemporary fusion with themes of resilience and perseverance, illustrating how Krylowicz views herself as a dancer. Krylowicz said she wants to focus on being herself and enjoying her last performance with the GVSU Dance Department.

“There are times when we feel down, it’s (about) reminding myself it’s alright to choose me instead of second-guessing.” 

Krylowicz’s group piece titled “Interfuse” features rhythmic and free-flowing hip-hop movement accentuated with contemporary dance vocabulary. The piece explores the fusion of different genres of movement into one cohesive whole, with the dancers costumed in neon colors and elaborate makeup.

“I am just proud of the dancers that I had the amazing opportunity to work with,” Krylowicz said. “I learned how to test myself as a choreographer and also open the space to try something out of their comfort zone.” 

At the beginning of the winter semester, Krylowicz, Armijo, Glover and Bernhardt began the enormous task of creating, funding and performing a complete dance concert. Every part of the showcase was organized by the group, from auditioning dancers, choreographing a group piece and a self-performed solo, raising money for tech production, setting lighting trees and hauling chairs into the performance space. 

“Capstones are so special,” said Jenna Altman, who danced in Armijo’s group piece. “I’m really excited to perform the amazing works these seniors have created, especially after going through the same process last semester.”

Armijo’s group piece titled “Corporeal Projections (Of what we can’t control)” used themes of emotional identity to portray the complexity of an individual’s psyche. Her cast worked together to explore the internal push and pull within a person’s illustration of self.

“Essentially, the group piece is about acknowledging who this person in the dance is thus far in life: the good, the bad, the ugly and the beautiful,” Armijo said. “It’s a melancholic sort of vibe. We can see the struggle, but we also see the strength.”

Armijo added that the piece is informed by her own personal journey of growth in the last four years. Her solo also portrays similar themes in a deeper, more personal context. 

Altman said that performing in Armijo’s group piece was cathartic, as it landed in a personal place for her.

“The piece feels good to perform because I was given the chance to identify with the character and relate it to myself,” Altman said. “The piece was literally built for me to express the feelings Emma had in her vision, and in dancing it, I can identify an authentic emotional experience that is also true to me.”

Some dancers were cast in multiple group pieces, such as Haley Rosendale, who performed in both Armijo and Glover’s pieces. Rosendale said that participating in senior capstone projects is one of the most rewarding experiences in the semester. 

“My favorite part about dance capstones is getting to work alongside amazing dancers,” Rosendale said. “The connections that are formed throughout the process are really special.”

Glover’s group piece is titled “A Reflection of Me,” featuring a blend of contemporary ballet movement in a dynamic routine. Through this and his solo, titled “Unseen,” Glover was inspired to explore the authenticity and vulnerability in the choreography as a reflection of finding his own way during his time at GVSU.

“It’s about my journey in college, feeling alone and lost,” Glover said. “(It’s about) dealing with obstacles that came my way over the years and how God has helped me overcome those battles.”

Bernhardt’s solo was also a reflection on the obstacles she’s overcome, and was composed of contemporary and modern movements. Her group piece, “When the Dust Settles,” was an interpretation of the effects of societal challenges on individuals. 

“This has been a lovely process with my beautiful dancers, and I couldn’t be more grateful for them,” Bernhardt said. “Our rehearsals have always made me smile, even if I was having a bad day. I am so proud of their hard work and contribution to this process, I cannot thank them enough.”

GVSU dancer Kennedy Maynard, who performed in two of the pieces, said she finds the senior capstone projects a creative and inviting way to work with her friends. 

“My favorite part of the capstone process is getting the opportunity to connect with everyone during rehearsals,” Maynard said. “These groups are such a great support system throughout the semester, and it is nice to have people to lean on inside and outside of rehearsals.” 

Krylowicz, Armijo, Glover and Bernhardt all said they felt a special connection while working with their dancers to put on the showcase. “Moiré Patterns” was a reflection of their own unique illustrations of identity under an artistic lens and their all-encompassing, end-of-year send-off. 

The concert, which is part of the Senior Project capstone course for dance majors at GVSU, is entirely student-produced. This semester, each student chose to choreograph a solo and ensemble piece that requires them to utilize their knowledge and experiences from GVSU. Students are given free range and complete control over their capstone project, provided that it relates to what they have learned. 

As part of the process, the dancers have to learn how to correctly light the concert, come up with logistics for the show, get in touch with videographers and photographers and set contracts. They are also encouraged to incorporate other elements they feel will help them transition into the professional world post-graduation. 

“We take off a lot of the guardrails on this (the capstone project) and turn them (senior dance students) loose,” said Carrie Brueck Morris, Dance Curriculum Coordinator and Professor of Dance at GVSU. “It’s a lot of work, but for most, I think it’s very rewarding in the end for them to see what they’ve accomplished.”

Preparation for the concert began at the beginning of the semester. Students were required to submit a project proposal and host auditions, followed by weekly rehearsals. The weekly rehearsals, which only last for two hours, are linked to the success of the ensemble piece. 

Emma Buschle, a senior Dance and Advertising and Public Relations major, is setting a her ensemble piece, titled “And Still They Move,” on six dancers. In the press release for the concert, Buschle wrote that the performance “captures how resilience and community (are able to) forge stability.”

The idea of resiliency, Buschle said, was partially inspired by her dance journey at GVSU, which started during the COVID-19 pandemic. Buschle said she felt isolated from her peers and disconnected from the dance program during lockdown. 

“It’s (the senior dance concert) representative of where I started as a freshman and will end as a senior,” Buschle said. “I’ve grown to appreciate the community aspect of dance because it’s hard to enjoy when you’re isolated.”

Another senior dancer in the concert, Kaylynn Betts, said that initial experience at GVSU started out much different than she expected. Betts recalled the awkwardness of rolling up her dorm room carpet to dance for her virtual freshman-year ballet class and standing in taped boxes on the floor during rare studio sessions.

“I didn’t realize how much better (dance classes were) until sophomore year when things started to slowly go back to normal,” Betts said. “(Although), we still had to wear masks. Nothing was truly ‘normal’ until my junior year.”

On the cusp of presenting her own choreographed and produced performances, Betts said she is proud of how far all of her peers have come. 

“Seeing everyone’s personal artistry come through in their work is so inspiring, and (it’s) amazing to see how far we’ve come since starting as freshmen in (taped boxes due to COVID-19 precautions),” Betts said. 

The first performance of the show will take place on Dec. 8 at 7 p.m., while the Dec. 9 concerts will be performed at both 1 p.m. and 7 p.m. The GVSU dance seniors encores the public and GVSU community to attend the free concert and support the student-produced dance performances. 

The performance consists of five different group pieces, a senior group finale and solos choreographed by each of the five seniors. All elements of the performance are run by the seniors in order to present what the group has learned throughout their time at GVSU.   

This semester’s seniors are Samantha Tort, Megan Vernier, Claire Berndt, Emma Johnson and Grace Kitching. The group held auditions in September that were open to anyone in the dance program to cast their pieces. Since then, the seniors have worked to prepare for the performance in various ways such as weekly rehearsals and other production elements.  

“We’ve hired several people to help professionally with the process of our concert,” Kitching said. “We’ve spent time creating a poster, a program, a press release, professional contracts and social media content.”

Audiences will see eleven different pieces that center around different topics and ideas. Kitching said viewers should be able to sense connections between themselves and the concepts being presented. 

“The concert as a whole is comforting, inspiring and captivating,” Kitching said. “We are striving for the audience to connect with at least one aspect or concept to take and hold in their memory when they leave the building.”

The seniors each held two-hour rehearsals every week for their group pieces where they worked and collaborated with their dancers. Each choreographer’s process was different. For instance, Kitching said she took inspiration for her dance piece from other art forms such as music, poems and artwork.   

All works in the concert display emotions and ideas that hope to connect with the audience through mutual human experiences.

“There is also a variety of styles and genres within our concert; we have some modern and contemporary pieces about grief, loneliness and guilt,” Kitching said. “We also have pieces working with exciting props, inviting imagination and some humor.” 

All five of the seniors also worked on a solo on their own time, which similarly has its own process and comes together over time. Each choreographer chose music, costuming and lighting they felt encapsulated their vision.

The capstone class is taught by Carrie Brueck Morris, professor of dance and curriculum coordinator for the dance program. She worked to guide the group within their process throughout the semester. Kitching said she was grateful that she and the rest of the seniors received Morris’ help. 

“Morris has been our guide through this semester and we would be lost without her,” Kitching said.

Kitching said she’s thrilled to watch all the pieces and see how they’ve come together. 

“I am so proud of everyone involved; this feels surreal to have put on our own show,” Kitching said. “I can’t wait for everyone to experience the dances in all their greatness, and hopefully leave feeling moved or inspired in some way.”

Performances will take place Dec. 2 at 7 p.m. and Dec. 3 at 2 p.m. in Haas Center for Performing Arts Dance Studio Theatre 1600. More information can be found on the GVSU Dance Program website or on the senior dancers’ Instagram page, @gvddseniors.

CONTINUUM, set to last approximately two hours, will feature 13 performances including solo dances, group numbers and short films, in each of which the dancers were given the ability to express their personal style.

Dance and exercise science major Mary Twietmeyer said the group selected the title of the show to reflect their time spent in the university’s dance program. 

“The title of our show is CONTINUUM, which we selected as a group because we felt it represented our progression and growth as dancers and as artists these past few years at Grand Valley,” Twietmeyer said. “We are not the same people as when we started our journey in the dance program, we have each grown immensely as individuals and as a group.”

Twietmeyer said that while she never would have imagined completing her senior capstone during a pandemic or having to convert it into a virtual show, she feels that it shows how resilient the art of dance really is. 

“We have found ways to work around the obstacles that have been presented to us this past year and it makes it even more rewarding in the end,” said Twietmeyer. 

Dance and communication studies major Emily McKenzie said that since she’s been dreaming of this show since her first day freshman year, the fact that it is being done virtually is hard to accept. But, her fellow performers have helped her see the bright side of things. 

“Luckily, the cast I worked with this semester made it really special,” said McKenzie.

McKenzie’s capstone is a group performance titled “EVERYTHING, NOTHING.”

“My work investigates the ideas of both purposeful existence and meaningless existence of all things,” said McKenzie. 

She will also be performing a solo piece recorded in the corner of her bedroom called “pieceofmynd” that she said is inspired by “the dichotomy of overwhelming thoughts and anxiety that can live in mere silence and stillness.”

For Twietmeyer’s senior project, she choreographed a duet called “Contradictions from Within.” She said the piece explores the internal conflict that comes from an individual experiencing opposing beliefs within their own mind. 

“The movement reflects how these conflicting thoughts surface, bringing about feelings of anxiety and uneasiness within the individual,” said Twietmeyer.

She is also in a solo number called “absence” which captures the nostalgia that comes with reminiscing on what is no longer present in one’s life. 

Twietmeyer said each piece is catered so much to the dancers’ individuality, and she is excited to see it all come together for one complete performance. 

“We all have very different styles that represent who we are as dancers and choreographers and it will be really captivating to see each of our artistic voices show throughout the show,” said Twietmeyer. 

Information on the inspiration behind each piece can be found in the Dance Program’s press release for CONTINUUM.

“We’re ecstatic that we can share our works with audience members near and far, that’s one perk of having our show virtual,” Twietmeyer said. “This way dance can be brought to them and our audience members can relax and enjoy our show from the comfort of their own homes.”

McKenzie said she hopes that audience members will stay inspired and embrace everything about themselves after experiencing the performances CONTINUUM has to offer. 

Those interested can attend the recital free of charge and can get tickets through GVSU’s website. The pre-recorded performances will be available for streaming on the platform AnywhereSeat.