I think “dance recital” has a pretty negative connotation to it. Typically, I think it makes us think about parents videotaping their daughter trying to tap dance along with the rest of the five-year-old’s at some dance studio. While the parents are overflowing with pride over their little girl, it’s not really a performance that’s pleasing to watch.

Parts of that are still true for every dance recital, no matter the age or experience level. In Colorado Mesa University’s Spring Into Dance 2018, I think it’s fair to expect some discomfort. Dance, like any art, isn’t about being pleasing or comfortable. It’s about provoking thought and feeling.

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Spring especially is a time when it’s difficult to really want to feel something. While some are able to look forward to graduation, going home, deploying or starting that new summer job/internship, some of us look at all the change that’s happening, and just sort of detach. After spring break, it really becomes more about counting down the days than making the days count. Spring into Dance tapped into that detachment for me when I went to watch their dress rehearsal Thursday night.

I watched dancers twist and tumble in choreography that wasn’t necessarily the most pleasing. But it made me feel something. If you ask any dancer, they’ll tell you it’s a beautiful way to communicate. Not only did I feel like they reached me through my spring blahs, but they also were able to communicate beautiful messages inspired by motion and nature. Surprisingly, as part of the show, dancers also performed to choreography addressing social problems. Such dance numbers are not graceful or charming, but they speak to us. And they move us in ways we wouldn’t be able to experience any other presentation.

Really, it was a balance. As fluid motion paired with uncomfortable halts, I was able to reflect on my own internal detachment from these last few weeks and from the people in my life. Spring is about change. Usually, that’s welcomed, but for me, facing those changes aren’t so easy. Watching these dancers perform made me realize why that is, and why I’ve been feeling so distant. I can’t tell you what you’ll think or feel from the spring dance performances, because ultimately, it’s up to you to interpret as you would any piece of art.

What I can tell you, is that dance is easily one of the most under-appreciated departments at CMU, and also one of the largest. It’s clear to see how much talent and hard work has been invested in this performance. It’d be a real shame to miss something so thought-provoking and entertaining.