By Katherine Sonne
Nauvoo will experience a new nightlife when the BYU International Folk Dance Ensemble”s Spring Performing Arts Company arrives in the city to perform for two weeks beginning August 7.
The 30 dancers that make up the Spring Performing Arts Company will give a one-hour performance every evening in the Joseph Smith Academy Auditorium in Nauvoo. The auditorium is being updated with help from BYU donations in preparation for the event.
The performances will consist of a selection of international folk dance and musical numbers, both vocal and instrumental, provided by a BYU Folk Music Ensemble who will accompany the dancers on the trip. The dance repertoire will include clogging, Irish dancing, a French Canadian dance, a Puerto Rican dance and an all-male Hungarian dance.
This will be the first time Nauvoo hosts a visiting performing arts group.
Derek Dean, a member of the company and a senior majoring in psychology, said he is anticipating the trip with excitement.
“I hope that we will be a good influence in bringing people to Nauvoo,” Dean said. “It will give people another reason to go and see the temple and see the other areas around Nauvoo.”
Besides being a first for Nauvoo, traveling to perform outside of Utah is also a first for the 20-year-old Spring Performing Arts Company.
Delynne Peay, the director of the company, said it usually just performs for schools in the Utah County area and joked about this unique opportunity for her dancers.
“This is the first group that will get to travel beyond Ogden on I-15,” she said. “They will get to travel in a plane instead of in a van.”
Cynthia Streeter, a senior, majoring in marriage, family and human development, said this trip to Nauvoo would present an opportunity for missionary service and to have friends and family watch her dance. She grew up near Nauvoo in Normal, Ill.
“For me, this is very special because I am from the area,” Streeter said. “It”s really great because for people that I have already introduced the gospel to, this has become another opportunity for me to give them some exposure to the church. They”re going to come see me dance. They don”t have to come to church with me.”
Streeter also said she hopes the company can add to the existing spirit in Nauvoo and contribute some variety to the events that take place in Nauvoo at night.
Dean said he has high hopes for the success of his company in Nauvoo.
“We hope it comes off really successful for BYU and for the church,” he said. “We are pretty sure it will. We are going to do all we can.”
