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MSU Dance Club prepares for annual recital

April 8, 2014
<p>Advertising sophomore Rebecca Fowler, left, and human development and family studies junior Liz Marjamaa dance during a MSU Dance Club practice April 8, 2014, at IM Sports-Circle. The group was practicing for an upcoming recital Sunday. Julia Nagy/The State News</p>

Advertising sophomore Rebecca Fowler, left, and human development and family studies junior Liz Marjamaa dance during a MSU Dance Club practice April 8, 2014, at IM Sports-Circle. The group was practicing for an upcoming recital Sunday. Julia Nagy/The State News

Photo by Julia Nagy | The State News

The MSU Dance Club will hold its annual recital 2 p.m. on April 13 at East Lansing High School.

Club President Kelly Munzenberger said the club has been preparing for the recital since the beginning of the fall semester.

Munzenberger said she is looking forward to the recital and is hoping that it runs smoothly, as it is the largest event that she’s ever organized.

She will be participating in 10 different performances.

“Well of course our big group dances will be really great,” she said. “You get to see people showcase their own creativity ... there will be a wide variety of dances.”

Audiences can expect to see both hip-hop and contemporary dance performances, in addition to other forms of dance, such as lyrical and jazz, events coordinator Mary Hiller said.

Hiller said there will be 42 performances at the recital. Of those, 11 will be large group numbers and the remaining will be solo and small group performances.

Pre-veterinary freshman Kristen Gouin said she is looking forward to a jazz performance she’ll be in.

Gouin said she’s excited about the jazz number because she gets to engage audience with “fun and sassy” moves.

Special education senior Molly Miller said she was excited about the recital’s tap number to a cover of R. Kelly’s “Ignition.”

“It’s not a typical tap song,” Miller said. “Because of the way that people learn tap, (the songs are) usually upbeat or broadway-like music.”

She said at last year’s recital, more than 200 guests attended.

Hiller said the club is a way for women to dance recreationally in college and not have to deal with surmounting pressure that many professional and competitive dancers typically feel.

Munzenberger said many girls are faced with the difficult decision of whether they should pursue dance professionally.

The club is an opportunity for them to still be involved with something they love, even if it’s just for fun.

“That was hard, coming to college and choosing whether (or not) to pursue dance,” Munzenberger said. “I’m kind of glad that I get to do both.”

She said the club also does several other charity and community outreach performances, including Relay for Life, a performance at a retirement home and an elementary school Valentine’s Day event.

“I think it’s really important that we don’t just dance for ourselves, but we dance to benefit other people as well,” Munzenberger said.

MSU students are able to attend the recital free of charge with ID and all non-students ages 12 and up will be charged a $5 admission fee.

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