I was able to sit down with the co-presidents (Laura Gordon and Carolyn McCarthy) of the perhaps underrated UVM Orchesis Dance Company and was fortunate enough to have them answer a few questions for me. Through their answers, it becomes clear just how much effort and soul is put into their work. Even though I have a slightly biased view as a member of Orchesis myself, Laura and Carolyn prove that this organization is something to be talked about.
Give us some background on Orchesis.
“From what I know, Orchesis was started in 1960 as a pet project of one of the dance professors. Over the years, the Orchesis members established more and more independence and now it’s completely student run! It used to be mostly modern based but now we focus mostly in contemporary, jazz, and hip-hop. Each semester 13 or so members of the company each choreograph a piece for our showcase at the end of the semester. We hold rehearsals Sunday-Thursday nights…we usually don’t get out of the studio until 11:00! Everyone in the company contributes to how it’s run, but we have some leadership positions to keep everything organized and running smoothly. We have two co-presidents, a treasurer (and treasurer-in-training), a PR representative, an advertising director, a fundraising chair, and two Club Sports council representatives…so just about half the girls in the company have leadership positions”.
What is the audition process like?
“We usually have a turnout of about 40 people and accept somewhere between 5 and 8 dancers Auditions are separated into two parts. The first half consists of a warm-up, a few across the floor exercises, and two combinations in the center. We try to mix up styles so everyone has a chance to show their strengths. From there, the company will deliberate and make first cuts. Then we move on to the second part of auditions, which is the solo section. Each dancer auditioning is asked to prepare a one-minute solo. This is the first time we really get to evaluate them on an individual basis. It’s so hard to focus when there are so many dancers in the first half of auditions! After we’ve seen all the solos the company deliberates again. This is the hardest part for us! We don’t have a maximum number of members, but Orchesis is a family. We spend most of our nights together in rehearsals, so we try to keep our member numbers down so we all feel connected to one another. This means saying no to a lot of awesome dancers though”.
What are you looking for in a dancer?
“Most of our current dancers are grounded in ballet, modern, or jazz technique. We look for versatile dancers who will fit in with our styles and bring something new to the table. We get really excited for auditions and all the fresh energy and creativity that will be added to our cast of dancers. Because of the way the company is run, old members will end up learning a lot from the new members, so we want dancers we get excited about watching!”
How do your choreographers generate ideas?
“Everyone has a different creative process and gets their inspiration from somewhere different. We usually bounce ideas off one another. It’s a really awesome and supportive environment for feedback!”
Describe the relationship between the girls in Orchesis.
“WE ALL LOVE EACH OTHER! But really. We spend so much time together rehearsing…and not rehearsing. Some of us even live together. It’s a really big, happy family of lovely, dancing bodies! Dance often puts you in your most vulnerable state, so when you’re sharing that with all these other people all the time it’s hard not to feel super connected. Also, because we all take on both the teacher and student role on a nightly basis, as we teach and learn dances, we respect each other’s craft and appreciate what each individual offers to the club.”
What is the most difficult part of being president?
“The most difficult part of being president is keeping everything organized! There are so many different components that make up our club, and so many different things to keep track of. It’s part of our job to keep everyone informed to the best of our abilities- but we’re students with classes to attend, homework to do, and other outside commitments as well. I’m still working on keeping everything balanced! Besides that, I’d say maintaining a level of equality within the group. Carolyn and I really want Orchesis to be as democratic as possible. Orchesis is as much ours as it is any other member’s. We try to bring any issues to the table for discussion and let the company decide things”.
What is the best part that comes with being a president?
“The best part is being someone company members can go to with problems or issues. We like to help resolve things! We’re learning a lot this semester through this role and are excited to see our fan-base expanding, along with our opportunities within the club and in the rest of the UVM community. Our shows become more impressive each semester and I am beyond excited to witness the final product this fall and share it with our audience”.
When and where do you perform?
“Other student organizations or events will ask us to perform throughout the semester. Our main performance, however, is our one big showcase at the end of each semester. These take place in the dance studio in the Patrick Gym. We put these shows on entirely on our own- including set-up and take down! This fall our show is November 16th at 2 and 7pm. You can check out our Facebook page for more information as the time gets closer! We’d love to see everyone there–YOU are our favorite part and I’m sure you’ll like us too! Thank you for your support!”
Photo credit: Kelsey DeWitt Photography