A behind-the-scenes look at BYU Theatre Ballet’s performances for World of Dance
Dancers in BYU’s Theatre Ballet trained diligently for BYU’s highly anticipated, season-opening dance showcase that took place Sept. 15-17.
World of Dance is BYU’s annual showcase of different dance performance groups on campus. It featured performances by the Ballroom Dance Company, Contemporary Dance Theatre, International Folk Dance Ensemble, Living Legends, Theatre Ballet and the Young Ambassadors.
“It’s really such a great show for people who have more eclectic taste or just like dance in general but not any specific group or specific genre,” Theatre Ballet Artistic Director and Ballet Area Coordinator Shayla Bott said. “It’s nice because it’s so varied and so diverse.”
With the help of the World of Dance production staff, BYU Theatre Ballet has prepared three pieces, called “Polonaise in B-Flat Major,” “Tutti” and “Confetti.”
The BYU School of Music collaborated with Theatre Ballet on their second piece, “Tutti,” which Bott choreographed. Vocalist Anna Low and pianist Amalie Simper accompanied the dancers in this piece.
BYU Theatre Ballet also worked in conjunction with the Arpino Foundation to perform their third piece, “Confetti,” choreographed by Gerald Alpino. Bott said it is “some of the most magical choreography for a pre-professional dancer to feel like they’re really dancing.”
According to Bott, dancers began nine-hour rehearsals two weeks before the semester started to learn the choreography for their performance. Bott said this year, Theatre Ballet has around 20 dancers and World of Dance is a good way for new freshmen or transfer students to get into the groove of performing right away at BYU.
Theatre Ballet dancer Addy Boll started practicing various styles of dance since she was 3, but the style that really stuck with her was ballet.
“I think it’s always nerve-wracking when you’re getting ready to go on stage, but once you’re on stage, the nerves kind of just go away and the adrenaline kicks in,” Boll said.
Boll said World of Dance allows for BYU’s dance groups to come together and take advantage of this opportunity to perform.
“Ballet really is an amazing art form and I think World of Dance is one of the performances that BYU does which gives audiences who have never had an exposure to ballet, exposure to ballet, ” Theatre Ballet dancer Jared Cordova said.