NIU dancers show variety in production

By Marianne Renner

The Company Dancers of NIU will step their way into the spotlight Thursday, Friday and Saturday in a production called “Lights, Camera …Dance!”

The show is choreographed by students who make up their own dance steps or find them in other classes, faculty adviser Danielle Jay said.

“They (students) show their ideas to the officers and we decide which ones will be used,” she said.

Jay said the dances performed in the production will vary from jazz to abstract modern. “Abstract modern is the formation of different body shapes and movements,” Jay said.

Company Dancers President Che Rippenger said the dancers also will bring contemporary dance to the stage. “We will use a lot of music from movies,” Rippenger said.

Music from movies such as “9uu Weeks,” “To Live and Die in L.A.,” “Stop Making Sense,” “Against All Odds” and “Top Gun” will be used in the show.

The name of the production comes from the idea of using music from these various movies.

Company Dancers Vice President Laura Autschback said the unique thing about the show is the great variety. “We will be doing just about every kind of dancing” with the exception of tap dancing, he said.

“For one of the dances, we will be dancing in bags made of a spandex material,” Autschback said.

Another unique aspect of the show is that it will open and close with the entire company on stage at once. “It’s a really neat effect,” Autschback said.

The dance company has been in existence for more than 10 years and performs one show each semester.

“We’re right on target this semester with the show and just polishing up on the dances,” Jay said.

The performances each night will be at 8:30 in Anderson Hall Rm. 137.

Tickets for students and senior citizens are $1.50 and all other tickets are $2.50.