Springfield College Dance Program to Perform at Dance Showcase in New York City for Prospective High School Students | Springfield College

Springfield College Dance Program to Perform at Dance Showcase in New York City for Prospective High School Students

The Springfield College Dance Program will be one of only six colleges and universities that has been selected to perform a choreographed dance performance in front of more than 300 high school students interested in dance as they prepare for college.

 

Springfield College will be one of 50 colleges and universities from throughout the country participating in the 2019 Dancewave’s Dancing Through College event, taking place on Oct. 5 and 6, at Hunter College in New York, NY. As part of the event, the Springfield College Dance Program will be one of only six colleges and universities that has been selected to perform a choreographed dance performance in front of more than 300 high school students interested in dance as they prepare for college.

“This truly is exciting for Springfield College and the dance students because only six colleges have this opportunity to perform at this event, which showcases some of the top dance programs in the country,” said Springfield College Assistant Professor and Director of Dance Sarah Zehnder, who choreographed the dance number the students will be performing. “This is such a great experience for the students, I am so excited for this opportunity, it will be a lot of fun.”

Representing Springfield College at this dance showcase event will be graduate students Kimberly Saltzman, Megan Shemeth, Min Du, and undergraduate students Cynthia Duran and Alexandra MacPherson. For Duran, it will be an opportunity to perform in her hometown and experience what it’s like to showcase her dance in New York City.

“I am from Brooklyn, so to be able to go home and perform at this showcase is a dream come true,” said Duran, who is a sophomore at Springfield College majoring in Therapeutic Recreation and Dance. “I am so proud to be able to perform with my fellow dancers and represent Springfield College.”

For Du, a graduate student majoring in physical education from China, this opportunity represents what makes Springfield College special in her eyes.

“It’s a dream come true to perform in New York,” said Du. “I am so happy to represent Sarah’s class, and dance in New York, it will be amazing. I really enjoy dancing at Springfield College, it’s such a great place to be.”

The performance Springfield College will be showcasing in New York on Oct. 5 will be the same routine they unveiled at the American College Dance Association Regional Conference, where the dancers received very positive feedback. The dancers also had the opportunity to perform the dance number at the Springfield Prep Charter School, where Shemeth was able to start an afterschool dance program as part of her student teaching at the school.

As part of the Springfield College dance major, students will develop individuality, creativity, dance knowledge, and technique while preparing for a career in dance, a related field, or graduate programs in dance education, dance/movement therapy, somatics, or similar studies. Students can combine dance with other areas of study, such as psychology, to further prepare themselves for a career in dance education or therapy.

Springfield College is an independent, nonprofit, coeducational institution founded in 1885. Approximately 4,100 students, including 2,500 full-time undergraduate students, study at its main campus in Springfield, Mass., and at its regional campuses across the country. Springfield College inspires students through the guiding principles of its Humanics philosophy – educating in spirit, mind, and body for leadership in service to others.