Refresh Dance Crew kept Northwestern undergraduates “Up All Night” with its 10th annual spring show this weekend in Ryan Auditorium.
The dance crew, composed of more than 70 undergraduate students, held performances Friday and Saturday. Guest performers included Northwestern K-Dance, Typhoon Dance Troupe, Graffiti Dancers and Reflections Repertory Company.
McCormick junior Carter Ross choreographed a piece in Refresh’s second set to Ne-Yo’s “Another Love Song.”
“I always love the 10 p.m. show with alumni coming back,” Ross said. “I always think that’s special and a testament to how incredible these communities and teams are that people feel so strongly connected that they come back for these shows.”
The showcase consisted of sets of three dances, each differing in stylistic theme. Interludes as well as freestyles separated each set, and freestyles ranged from hard-hitting to slow R&B to groovy and femme.
According to Communication sophomore Evan Blake, who joined Refresh her first year at NU, dancers began preparing for the show about two weeks prior to Spring Break. However, Blake said, Refresh has been rehearsing some pieces since Fall Quarter.
“Everyone was really passionate about making these pieces come to life,” Blake said. “It was very easy as someone who isn’t as involved in Refresh as others … to come into rehearsals and feel like I also had community and friends there.”
The energy was electric, and the show began with a piece to Beyoncé’s “MY HOUSE” with hard-hitting movements and a trust fall that drew gasps from the audience.
Blake said being able to dance with some of her favorite people and bringing the choreographer’s vision to life was the most gratifying part of performing.
“I honestly just love being a part of their pieces, and I love to get to see people’s reactions to those pieces because of how much time and work that was put into it,” Blake said.
The show also included a heels piece to Tate McRae’s “Sports car.” Dancers dressed in black lace and leather lined up throughout the audience and made their way to the stage, where they delivered floor work and intricate formations.
The third set contained three contemporary pieces to RAYE’s “Oscar Winning Tears.,” Novo Amor’s “Anchor” and Phoebe Bridgers’ “I Know the End.”
The dancers gave emotional performances using props such as a lantern and sheer scarves. The dynamic set offered a change in pace for a show mainly centered on hip-hop.
“I wasn’t expecting a contemporary set because I don’t think they typically perform that. It was so impressive to see them doing an entirely different style,” said Communication sophomore Delaney Lane, who attended the performance and guest performed with the Graffiti Dancers on Saturday.
The showcase ended with a piece choreographed and performed by the graduating seniors of the dance crew. Dancers appeared on stage in their pajamas with pillows to drive home the theme of the night and celebrate their final performance with audience members.
“It was really nice to see them remembering their time there,” Blake said. “You could tell they were all having a lot of fun on stage.”
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