Niles West’s annual Orchesis show, “Fierce,” took place in the Robert L. Johnson auditorium last weekend.

As friends and family were chatting amongst themselves, the auditorium suddenly went completely black. There was an eerie feel for a few moments – no one knew what to expect sitting there in the darkness. However, as soon as the dancers got on stage to preform their first number out of 18, the auditorium was instantly brought to life with beauty and passion.

The first aspect that grabbed my attention was the lighting. Designers Steven George, Daniel Bedoya, Aria Caldwell, Lila Gilbert, and Jason Magel all deserve recognition for their work. The lighting set the mood to each number perfectly. Dark silhouettes were contrasted against bright backgrounds, and individual dancers got to show off when the spot light was on them. The same is true for those who performed solos; senior Mary Vo and junior Alison Check. So much raw emotion and talent were brought forward in those brief dances, that they were made impossible to forget.

Not only were the solos unforgettable, but one thing that cannot go overlooked is that dance requires acting, and these dancers nailed it. Each and every one of them had the perfect expressions at the right times, and their body language and moves went extremely well with the song lyrics. Attitude, reaction times, and the way that the dancers interacted with one another was something to be admired.

Not only were the moves sharp and complex, but the dancers timed each move perfectly. Once aspect that may have aided to that accomplishment is that the dancers all worked together to choreograph all 18 dances. In each number, the whole stage was used, making the performance a joy to watch with all of the activity happening on stage.

From the very first few songs, it is evident that a lot of work went into this performance. The variety in dance types ensured that the audience was never bored. There were sweet and simple duets, courtesy of sophomores Isabel Ramirez and Emily Topp in their piece entitled, “I Do,”  as well as fun, fast paced street dances like “Reckless” choreographed by seniors Mary Vo, Casey Mahoney-Muno, Randy Tran, and Keenan Morales. 

Each dance brought something new to the stage, and the dancers’ true talents really shone through. Whether the dancers performed in one dance, or all 18,  each and every one of the 15 dancers contributed to a Fierce performance.

Although tickets were 10 dollars, they were without a doubt worth every penny.

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