Santa Clara’s Finest Dancers Unite for “Images”

Theater and dance show stun with fresh new choreography

Complete with intricate costumes, stylized choreography and, perhaps most importantly, a fog machine, “Images” immersed Santa Clara students in the world of dance. 

“Images,” the dance showcase presented by the Department of Theatre and Dance, consisted of eight individual routines by students, faculty and guest choreographers, each with their own distinct style and thematic elements. The performance took place in the Louis B. Mayer Theatre Feb. 6-9. 

From ballet, to hip hop and everything in-between, these routines highlighted the dancers’ diverse talents. 

The show was a joint collaboration between theatre majors, who make the show come to life with their backstage magic, and the talented student dancers who have been working for months to master complicated choreography. 

Also, for Bob Steiner, who has worked with the production team behind the scenes in Santa Clara’s theater department for 41 years, this year’s performance was his final show before retirement.

Pauline Locsin-Kanter, the director of “Images,” opened the show with her piece, “The Homegirl Next Door.”

Inspired by Homeboy Industries, a Los Angeles non-profit dedicated to helping former gang members improve their lives, Kanter’s dance portrayed the challenges of trying to heal and turn one’s life around. Kanter hopes to raise awareness to combat gang violence. 

Kanter’s routine displayed complexity by including dynamic formations and a combination of styles, including jazz, hip-hop and tap dance. Kanter also had senior dancers sing which added a new performance element to “Images.”  

A contemporary piece by guest choreographer, Waeli Wang, followed Kanter’s performance. Definitely a highlight, this performance deliberately used minimal music to direct the audience’s focus toward each dancer’s breath. This unique choice heightened audience engagement by stripping the performance down, creating a more intimate environment. 

Staff member Kristin Kusanovich dedicated her dance to environmentalism. Dancers used symbolic movements to represent  trees, coral, deer, insects and the havoc mankind wreaks on nature. 

Karyn Connell, Santa Clara’s ballet professor, brought her specialty to the stage with a high energy ballet performance. Dancing to drums rather than classical music, this routine added a modern-day twist to traditional ballet technique.

Her costume choice also added to the intensity of the routine. Dancers wore full body leotards painted with flames. Multi-colored streamers hung from their arms, emphasizing their movements and adding visual energy. 

“Working with Karyn is such a special process and I am beyond honored to have been a part of her beautiful piece,” sophomore dancer Madison Steel said. “I am so grateful for the strong bond that formed between the girls in the cast. It is definitely something I will treasure forever.” 

Guest Choreographer Virginia Munday made the audience laugh out loud with an animated clown dance. Beginning with light-hearted dramatic gestures, the dance shifted its tone to reveal the darker side of show business. 

Senior student choreographers, Katheryn Seely, Camille Hope and Caroline Eby created dances that were equally as impressive as those of the professional choreographers. 

Seely presented a beautiful lyrical trio to an instrumental version of Fleetwood Mac’s “Landslide.” Her routine portrayed the joys of motherhood and left the audience mesmerized by the dancers’ impressive technique.  

“My piece was inspired by the love, support, and consistency I feel in my relationship with my mother,” Seely said. “I wanted to honor her and the mother/daughter relationship in general with a piece which explored the dynamics within that relationship.”

Hope, a member of Hypnotik, stayed true to her style and created an intricate hip hop dance. Her routine demonstrated the real struggles of handling mental illness and the power it can have over someone’s life.

Eby, closed the performance with her routine, Thinking Outside the Cubicle. This dance raised the audience’s spirits as they watched dancers find happiness in the little things in life, even while working in a mundane cubicle.

In addition to being a visually stunning show, “Images” encapsulated a variety of positive themes and effectively used movement to express and raise awareness for topics Santa Clara students value.