The grit and grace of the WKU Dance Company
Story by Cameron Elliott-Moody
Photos by Carlee Hite and Ella Oakley
Design by Candace Alvey
Editor’s Note: This article was originally released in Issue 19 of the WKU Talisman print magazine. Click here to read more articles from the Talisman’s semesterly print.
Behind the scenes of the WKU Dance Company, dancers balance intensive rehearsal schedules along with academics and social lives.
Senior Ella Claire Johns, a rehearsal assistant from Columbia, Kentucky, said that students push their physical and emotional limits while balancing both academics and dance.
“There are bad days, and the choreography can be overwhelming,” Johns said. “Just don’t get inside your own head.”
Anna Patsfall, an associate dance professor from Cincinnati who teaches ballet, said that dance should be a part of everyoneís life. Patsfall said that learning the history and cultural importance is key to keeping it relevant.
“Students should develop an appreciation for it whether they want to dance professionally or not,” Patsfall said.
According to the WKU Dance Companyís website, Patsfall has danced in leading roles such as Belle in “Beauty and the Beast” and Tinkerbell in “Peter Pan.” Patsfallís mission is to guide her students with her experience.
“I’ve always danced professionally, and I went to grad school for dance,” Patsfall said. “I am always grateful that I get to pass down everything that I’ve been taught to my students.”
Patsfall said that for the choreography, students are given routines from past performances, rehearsing them both in class and on their own time.
“They don’t know the dance number before they arrive for class and they often learn the choreography during studio time,” Patsfall said. “They learn in the studio and rehearse on their own time at home.”
Senior Rebecca Biggs said balancing both academics and learning the choreography can be difficult. Biggs is from Lexington and is double majoring in dance and exercise science.
“It’s very easy to get overwhelmed when memorizing choreography and making sure that I am excelling in my other classes,” Biggs said. “I recently got a cat and that has been my way of taking time for myself and taking a step away from overstimulating choreography and class assignments.”
Biggs said the life of a dance student is a demanding blend of mental focus and physical effort.
“It’s all about time management,” Biggs said. “I have my biology classes in the morning and in between classes, I go to the Commons until itís time for my dance class.”
Biggs also said that she takes a jazz dance class just for fun, and she teaches dance pedagogy. According to the Merriam-Webster website, pedagogy is the art, science or profession of teaching.
Junior dance major Amaya Muse-Holt from Radcliff, Kentucky, said the dance company faculty understands the pressures student dancers face. Muse-Holt said they work to create a supportive environment that values both academic and artistic achievement.
“They are always motivating us in any way they can,” Muse-Holt said.
Muse-Holt said that the rehearsals are a significant time commitment. She said they learn intricate choreography, refine their technique and work collaboratively to bring the show to life.
“It’s physically and mentally exhausting,” Muse-Holt said, “But when you’re on stage and everything clicks, itís an amazing feeling.”
Senior Marissa Burch, a dance major from Louisville, said students often manage the stress of rehearsals, performances and critiques. Burch also said that students often find themselves getting overwhelmed with the choreography, and they overcome that by taking it step by step.
“There is a lot of pressure to be perfect,” Burch said. “During difficult rehearsals, I just push through and reassure myself.”
Burch said the dance company fosters a supportive community where students can lean on each other for encouragement and advice. She said the upperclassmen often mentor the freshmen and newer dancers, sharing their experiences and strategies for success.
Johns said the company’s collaborative atmosphere is evident in the rehearsal setting, where dancers and instructors engage in an intimate learning process. He said that students find it reliable to assist each other in the choreography.
“We help each other out and get along to a point where it’s easy for us to communicate and help catch each other up,” Johns said.
Johns said the instructors bring experience from diverse dance backgrounds such as ballet, jazz, tap and modern. She said the instructors expertise spans from a wide range of styles and techniques.
“The faculty make this dance company unique,” Johns said. “They come from different dance backgrounds, which makes all of this very diverse and educational.”
