By Leigh Caudle/reporter
In four semesters, Rhapsody Movement Company, based on SE Campus, has grown from a sole audition to a group that stages a number of dance performances.
Twenty-five dancers auditioned for a place in the ensemble this semester, said dance instructor and company leader Jamie Perrin. Perrin said the group has come a long way in a few semesters.
“By the second semester, we had a full company and started doing shows and full-blown concerts, so it’s definitely grown,” she said.
Each semester, the group performs in two to three shows, including one in December.
The group currently consists of 10 dancers who practice up to three hours twice a week.
Although dance is a passion shared by all of the company, nursing major and group member Jenna Hindman says it isn’t easy.
“You need to keep up with your technique and stay flexible, especially if the dance is a little bit harder or a little bit faster,” she said.
The company members come from diverse dance backgrounds, but according to sophomore ballet dancer Rachel Hill, the dancers appreciate the diversity of the group.
“Ms. Jamie is really into contemporary [dance], so it pushes me out of my comfort zone and into trying new things,” Hill said.
For other members like Lillian Ouma, who began dancing in her living room as a child, hip-hop is the genre of preference.
“Dance is definitely a form of art, and it’s expressed in so many different forms,” she said. “My favorite part is that you can lose yourself in the music and in the movement.”
Although Perrin does most of the choreography, company members are given opportunities to choreograph dances.
Perrin invites at least one guest choreographer each semester to allow members to experience working with other professionals and different genres of dance.
She has arranged for two choreographers from New York City to work with the dancers next semester.
Auditions take place every semester.
Because the group is on a company level, which usually requires more experience, it is preferred that each dancer have at least one year of dance training.
Ten to 12 dancers get accepted into the company each semester, and the auditions are open to all students.
“They don’t necessarily have to be the best at every style, but they need to show that they can adapt and perform differently,” Perrin said.
No spot in the company is guaranteed, so even current company members must audition each semester.
“It’s always a brand new batch, which keeps it exciting because you always have new people to work with. It also pushes them harder because they’re not guaranteed a spot,” she said.
Students have two opportunities to audition for next semester’s Rhapsody Movement Company: 11 a.m. and 7 p.m. Nov. 19. Contact Perrin at 817-515‑3056 or jamie.perrin@tccd.edu for more information.
