The Marriot Center was a whirl of colors, music and dance when BYU’s dance department put on the devotional early Tuesday afternoon.
The theme, “Dance, dance, dance,” was based on the song by Steve Miller, and BYU dancers brought it to life.
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[/media-credit]BYUSA president Brandon Hatch opened the devotional and said dancers are great examples of pursing dreams and finding passions. He quoted Martha Graham, an inspirational modern dancer and choreographer, “Great dancers are not great because of their technique, they are great because of their passion.”
The dancers exemplified their passion in their performance, yet in order to dance that beautifully, they had to dedicate years of practicing their technique.
“Today as we appreciate the talent, passion and dedication of these artists, I invite you to reflect on your lives and your passions,” Hatch said. “Find what you are passionate about. There is a lot to be gained by getting more involved and giving back.”
The devotional featured four of BYU’s top dance performance groups including the International Dance Ensemble, Living Legends, Theatre Ballet, the Ballroom Dance Company and Contemporary Dance Theatre.
Folk dance from the International Dance Ensemble performed a gypsy number, and Theatre ballet showcased a dance called “Jewels,” which represented the beauty of gold, silver, diamond and sapphire with four separate ballerinas dressed in the appropriate colors.
The Ballroom Dance Company started off slow with a couple dressed in twenties-style clothing, dancing to a scratchy phonograph record, when suddenly more couples appeared and performed a twenties-style flapper dance.
Living Legends ended the devotional with a Native American number and a Samoan number. During the Samoan dance, the dancers imitated the ballet and Indian numbers that had gone before them as well as a cougarette cheer.
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[/media-credit]When the show ended, students left the Marriot Center with the message to find and pursure their passions and to get involved in the many opportunities BYU presents to it’s students.
“Every great pursuit begins with the first step, just like these dancers that stumbled through their first dance lesson,” Hatch said.
