Hear from NPD student, Sophia Warner, about what Dance+ means to her.
What is Dance+? If you live around the Bis-Man area you’ve likely seen Dance+ posters around town over the years, or maybe you’ve been to the show before. Put on by Northern Plains Dance each year in February, Dance+ has become somewhat of a favorite for the community and dancers alike.
Northern Plains Dance is well known for performing The Nutcracker each December, but Dance+ is a bit different than a ballet. With different styles of dance, such as modern, contemporary, jazz, ballet, and hip-hop, Dance+ has become an extremely unique show.
This year’s cast contains twenty-seven of our more advanced dancers within the company. It consists of six ten-minute pieces, three of which are choreographed by guest choreographers. The other three pieces are choreographed by our very own teachers and staff at Northern Plains. When we get to work with guest choreographers, they are only here for a week. That means long hours and lots of hard work. When we work with our teachers, we have around six to seven weeks to get the show ready.
I think it’s outstanding that we get to have such an amazing opportunity at such a young age. I’m not sure that many people understand the process we dancers have as we approach Dance+. The four- to eight-hour days of rehearsal consist of knowing your choreography, knowing your counts, and being part of a team. Another part of that is going to dance on Saturday mornings and spending the rest of the day at the studio. We’ve become accustomed to being there all the time and spending the vast majority of our free time there. In all honesty, I wouldn’t change it for the world.
Though we may miss out on a couple high-school experiences, like school dances, or sporting events, I think what we learn and take with us from our little family at NPD is one hundred percent worth it. Spending hours upon hours in a studio learning piece by piece of a dance may not seem enjoyable to some, but working with teachers and obtaining unlimited knowledge and advice can be truly inspiring.
But the real magic happens when you step foot on stage, with the lights above your head, the costume you’re wearing, the millions of pins in your hair, and most importantly, all your best friends at your side.
It may or may not be unique to our studio, but I know for a fact that all of the girls you see on stage love each other. We are, in all certainty, a family: students, staff, parents, siblings, and even dogs (we love you, Nelly). We are a family.
So, what exactly is Dance+? A local group of performing artists? Yes. A contemporary showcase? Yes. But most of all, it’s a show of love. I see and feel it when I watch my peers dance. I feel it while I dance, and I know our teachers feel it as well. So I invite you to attend Dance+ this year. Support your local community by spending the night in our little world! Come experience the magic and love.
Sophia Warner, dancer at NPD.