The sounds of a piano filled Boutell Memorial Concert Hall last weekend as students from the School of Theatre and Dance presented two dance concerts.

The money raised from the concerts went to Dance4Life, an AIDS foundation in Chicago.

Art4Life is an annual event that was developed seven years ago by theater and dance students.

“Losing our theater chair to AIDS sparked the idea in students,” said Paula Frasz, associate professor of dance and faculty adviser for Art4Life.

AIDS is at the forefront of Frasz’s mind when she thinks about Art4Life.

“Being a dancer for 30 years, I’ve lost many friends to AIDS,” Frasz said.

Art4Life raised $3,700 last Friday and Saturday for Dance4Life, Frasz said. A car wash they held earlier in the year raised $700 for local people in need.

“The money raised benefits people around here, not around the nation,” Frasz said.

Frasz is proud of her students and their weekend performances, especially because they practiced since the first week of school.

“I thought the performances went very smoothly,” she said. “I liked the balance between dramatic and lighter pieces.”

Directors Sarina Gomez and Maggie Redman opened the Friday evening concert by speaking to the audience about AIDS and HIV, noting several statistics. The concert included a variety of dance, including ballet and hip-hop. Poetry readings and songs also were incorporated into the concert.

Sammy Morgan, a sophomore corporate communication major, attended the concert for a class.

“I wasn’t sure what to expect, but I really enjoyed it,” Morgan said. “I thought it was going to be really dark, but it wasn’t.”

Through its charity dances, Art4Life is doing a great service for the community. According to Paula Frasz, the students involved are the sole reason for Art4Life being able to continue.