by Lily Roberti ’24<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sem Dance Company\u2019s hard work pays off once again! Months of dedicated rehearsals culminated in the forty-third annual Dance Show over the second weekend in May. Dance Works<\/em> was a result of Bernadine Vojtko\u2019s enthusiasm and commitment and a company of twenty-two talented dancers.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n This year, alumni dancers Samantha Barcia \u201822, Brennan Twardowski \u201810, Robert Zaloga \u201820, and Jennifer Zemetro \u201822 brought their abilities back to Sem. Highlights include Robert Zaloga and Lucy Lew \u201824 as a shockingly talented duo in \u201cPas de Deux and Coda from Le Corsaire\u201d and Jennifer Zemetro and Sam Barcia performing a moving duet called \u201cCringe.\u201d The Sem Dance program is lucky to continue to have dancers who return year after year because they love the company so much.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n This year, the dance show brought something different to the table. The entire second act was comprised of Billy Joel songs- all performed by a live singer and band at the back of the stage. Noah Sunday-Lefkowitz \u201814 shared his phenomenal voice on our stage, and Tyler Harvey \u201813 coordinated and played saxophone in the band. Dancer Reece Fisher \u201825 says, \u201cWe\u2019re so excited to have worked with live music this year instead of tracks. We know that the uniqueness of Noah\u2019s performance brought many people to the show, and working with a live band is such an amazing opportunity to really feel the music as you\u2019re dancing.\u201d Eight senior girls and boys performed a 50\u2019s-esque couple\u2019s piece to Billy Joel\u2019s \u201cChristie Lee.\u201d Senior athletes Michael Vodzak, Louis Michaels, Que Riggins, and Kwashaun Williams bounced between sports practice and the dance studio to allow this piece to happen. The act closed with \u201cThe Entertainer,\u201d where all dancers returned to the stage to perform a heartwarming finale together.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n This year, six upperclassmen were given the opportunity to choreograph their own pieces. Lucy Lew \u201824, Molly Kopetchny \u201824, Lily Roberti \u201824, Kara Perzia \u201824, Abigail Lott \u201825, and Reece Fisher \u201825 shared what they\u2019d learned since the fall in Mrs. Vojtko\u2019s class, \u2018Choreographer\u2019s Workshop.\u2019 Kara Perzia, who choreographed a jazz piece to Lady Gaga\u2019s \u201cApplause\u201d with Lily Roberti, says, \u201cI had so much fun with this piece! I was able to work with four talented dancers and it has been so great to watch my vision come together on stage. Creating a dance from scratch has taught me so much about what Mrs. Vojtko does and allowed me to be a part of the other side of the dance show.\u201d All of the choreographers worked with brilliant lighting designer Jonathan Vojtko \u201811 to bring their pieces to life.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n Dance Works <\/em>was a beautiful testament to the art that can be made when all different people put their talents together. Between diligent alumni, peer and outside choreographers, student athletes, skilled musicians, and, of course, Mrs. Vojtko, Sem\u2019s forty-third annual dance performance was a massive success!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"