Tonight is the night that the Clark community will come together to celebrate a wide range of cultures at International Gala! Gala involves so many people who work incredibly hard to make it as successful as possible. One group of people in particular spend a great deal of time, energy and creativity on making Gala what it is, and those are the choreographers.
We got the chance to catch up with sophomore Taylor McAllister to learn more about what her experience has been like choreographing the dance that will represent the United States of America in Gala. Read on to hear what she had to say!
What inspired you to choreograph for this year’s International Gala?
Last year was my first year here at Clark, and the first thing I did was audition to join the Dance Society. During the year, Gala was one of the most unique experiences I had here on campus as a part of Dance Society. It was so much fun to dance together as a team and represent the United States last year that I really wanted to be the one to lead Dance Society in this year’s gala.
How did you decide what style of dance you wanted to represent USA?
Well, when you think of the United States, it is pretty tough to think of just one way to represent such a diverse population of people. So, I thought about how there is the old concept of the “American Dream” and how many dancers travel to New York City in pursuit of their dreams of becoming a star. I have always loved Broadway and musical theater, so I decided to bring that style to our USA performance this year.
Taylor’s Gala dancers posing for a quick picture after dress rehearsal on Thursday
What has been the most challenging thing about being a Gala choreographer?
Personally, I have never choreographed a dance in this style before so that definitely posed a challenge, but I have been in routines like this in the past. It has proven to be more difficult to teach than I anticipated but we managed to pull it together and I am so happy with how it turned out. I have such a dedicated group of women to work with which has made teaching this dance fun and exciting every single week. I know that all of our hard work will pay off!
What have you enjoyed most about this process?
My favorite part by far has been seeing everyone perform all together in their costumes for the first time. It instantly pulled everything together, it’s amazing how much confidence you can get from a great costume! We are wearing classic black blazers and leotards with a black top hat, and it really does look amazing. I knew after this rehearsal that it was going to be a great performance and I am so excited for everyone to see it!
Thanks, Taylor!