Sacramento State dance students performed an emotional showcase entitled, “Performance Mix” on Sept. 30 in Solano Hall’s dance studio.

Nothing about “Performance Mix” had anything to do with generic ideas of boring dance pieces. Sac State dance students brought me into a new world of emotion with each performance, and pulled me into their show with their unique dance opening.

A few dance students were dispersed secretly in the audience and danced toward the stage as an innovative way to connect us with their dance community.

“It’s important for dancers to incorporate the audience and coming out like that makes you pay more attention to the audience,” Claudia Orozco, junior biology major and audience member, said.

If anybody has ever been to Solano Hall’s dance studio in Rm. 1010, they know that it is a small space. The actual dance stage is about the size of a small classroom that holds about 20 students. The dancers used the space well and really interacted with whomever they were dancing with.

“The acting is powerful and has lots of passion,” Ramiro Munoz, sophomore art major and audience member, said. “I love the way they leaned on each other and they flowed really well together.”

I could see the emotion in each physical touch exchanged by the dancers as they broke off into pairs or groups, especially in the “Black and Blue” performance in the first half.

The back of my ears and neck tickled as I saw how intense “Performance Mix” dancers Christine Crooks and Tung Nguyen, who did a duet together, were holding each other and staring into one another’s eyes. “The performance is great and makes me feel what they’re feeling,” Lillian Rios, sophomore sociology major and audience member, said. “The intensity gives me chills.”

It was easy to see that the dancers had a lot of skill and technique with the show of their strength in holding leg lifts and being flexible.

I’ve been to a lot of other schools’ dance performances, but this is the first time that I’ve seen a show where the dancing and the theatrical acting are on the same exact level. The dancers didn’t just dance to choreography, but they felt it with each movement and facial expression they gave to the audience.

The music also helped to portray exactly what emotion they were painting on the stage because they didn’t just slap a song to each dance piece. They used beats, natural sounds like the wind, and even news for a political dance piece.

“I thought the performance was interesting and really told a stories. It makes me feel the music, movement, and they (the dancers) put me into their mood,” Alyssa Andres, sophomore, business major and audience member, said. “The music makes you think because it’s not just words telling you what it’s about, you have to make your own story.”

The performance was full of statements and it empowered me to be hopeful, to think, and to make a difference in the world.

Veronica Webb, senior graphic design major and “Performance Mix” dancer, said they wanted the audience to feel what each character was portraying, like hope and changing the world.

“I feel like we pulled the show off and gave the feeling of changing society,” Matthew Talaugon, sophomore dance major and “Performance Mix” dancer, said. “The choreography had a good combination of different styles, like ballet, modern, jazz, and contemporary, but there was also room for originality.”

I recommend watching this performance because it’s unique and artistically put together. It makes a statement in many ways and these dancers are not afraid to show what those statements are. “I hope people see that dance is not just tutus, it’s passionate stuff that we do,” Nicole Cleveland, senior music major and “Performance Mix” dancer, said.

“Performance Mix” can be seen on Oct. 1 at 6:30 p.m., Oct. 2 at 8 p.m., Oct. 3 at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m., and Oct. 4 at 2 p.m. General admission is $12 except for Oct. 1 when it will be $8.

Jennifer Siopongco can be reached at [email protected]