Dance Ensemble Wows

"Another murder in the dancing realm occurred with the Center Stage-inspired dance to “Higher Ground.” While the film’s version of the dance is upbeat, intensive, and generally enjoyable, the Gettysburg version made my soul die a little. Horribly choreographed, terribly performed, and generally uncomfortable to watch."

Candise, I'm teaching elementary school next year, and I'll say the same to you as I tell my first-graders: "If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say it at all."

I was a part of this dance and YES I completely fell over attempting to do 8 spins in a row, but I had a blast trying! I know I'm no "Center-Stage" dancer; I don't need you telling me so.
I really don't appreciate your particularly scathing review of any of the dances. All of the dancers worked very hard in the show, and this is actually hurtful to those of us who dedicated ourselves to the performances. Part of the fun of D.E. is klutzy people (such as myself) trying out fun new dances. If I had know you were sitting in the audience evaluating each of us, I'd have felt even more nervous than I already was.

So please- keep your nasty little comments to yourself. Do me a favor and don't knock something 'til you've tried it. (I recommend Bollywood.)

She has the right to say what she wants. You dancing for fun is great, but when you PERFORM in front of a crowd, you open yourself up to criticism. If you can't take it, don't perform. Otherwise, take YOUR immature whining about someone voicing their opinion elsewhere.

By the way, this piece is well written Candise. Well done.

Of course she has the right, I just think it's mean. I'll use another 1st grade teaching strategy: put yourself in someone else's shoes. How would YOU feel if you were the choreographer of one of the dances that was bashed? How about if you're a freshman debating about whether to join Dance Ensemble or not? Thanks to Candise, I would personally be turned off from performing again, if I weren't graduating.

Critique is not what the Dance Ensemble is about. It's sad that people like you are making it an ugly thing rather than attempting to understand what it's really about. I'm curious what the intent of this article really was. Yes, the author has a "job" to do by writing about the show, but it didn't have to be so downright cruel. That's just my opinion. I understand that some might not agree, but it worries me to think that there are people jumping on the opportunity to make other people feel sad.

If you want star-quality performance, go to Broadway. Let us have our fun.

How would I feel as the choreographer? I would take the criticism gladly. As a performer (Band and Choir both for myself), I always strive to better my technique and stage presence. If I read something like what Candise has published here, I would take it and apply it to the next performance. I debated about joining choir for three years, so I've been in that boat too. Was told by a teacher of all people that I shouldn't because my talents weren't up to par. But I used that criticism to push myself to state that year.

Critique may not be what Dance Ensemble is about, but her job is to recount what she saw happen at this event. She not only spoke strongly on the bad, she also praised the socks off of quite a few groups in the same piece.

You dancers had a job to do. You did it. She had her job to do to write her opinions on the performances, and she did.

Hello! I think you are free to say and think whatever you like, but I do have to agree that this article bordered on something less than courteous. As a dancer for 16 years – a ballet dancer for most of them – I know how to take criticism. Dance teachers do it constantly (they also know what they’re talking about). But I’ve never heard rude criticism paraded so openly.

When I was in high school, everyone had to try out for the school’s dance company; the dances were all quite good, but many people got turned away. I always thought it was nice that Dance Ensemble has opened its doors to all levels of ability; however, if a choreographer wants to hold auditions – as was the case in the Cell Block Tango – they are free to do so.

Frankly, I’m shocked that you think so many willing people should be turned away from dancing simply because you – by your own volition – came to a FREE performance and didn’t enjoy it. The performance cost you nothing; it’s not as though you wasted your money. No where on the programs or in the advertising did DE liken itself to a professional troupe. In fact, it is well publicized as being student-run, and student-danced. Furthermore, the funds it did manage to collect through its T-Shirt and Flower sales went to charity. Was it too much to spare a paragraph praising that, or were you too busy inappropriately nagging those poor people on stage?

This would be the same as me, Katlyn Jones the dancer, attending a free intramural soccer game at my leisure, and whining the whole time about how these players suck – and individually pointing them out in print to explain why they suck.

Dance Ensemble provides a purely fun outlet for over a 100 club participants – with the added bonus of raising funds for charity during showtime.

That you decided to critique so harshly, with an analysis clearly devoid of any semblance of common decency, and clearly with a warped idea of the club’s purpose, says more about your poor performance than that of the dancers.

This is disrespect at its finest.

Candise, I have to agree with the earlier posters: your critic of the Dance Ensemble's performance is unprofessional, at best. Your scathing insults demonstrate a lack of integrity and respect your fellow students. Additionally, "another murder in the dancing realm" simply doesn't make sense.

Your peers are amateur dancers in a college club, performing to amuse themselves and their friends. Much like how you are an amateur writer, writing for a college website.