In the upcoming Spring Dance Concert, City College dance students will have the chance to perform seven newly choreographed pieces, one of which was choreographed entirely by the students themselves, giving them an opportunity to play with their creativity.

“It’s a great experience putting a piece on others, and not only on yourself,” said student choreographer Alli Weiss. “But it’s also hard. We’re not used to giving our friends directions like this.”

Fifty students will perform a total of seven modern, jazz and ballet pieces at 7p.m. on Friday and Saturday, April 23-24 at the Marjorie Luke Theatre. Six of the pieces were choreographed by dance teachers Matthew Nelson, Pamela Lappen, and Jennifer Seigle.

“We’re all from different backgrounds,” said Jennifer Seigle, Artistic Director for the Spring Dance Concert. “Whatever you like, there is a piece in here for you.”

“We have some exceptional dancers here at City College. We’re very lucky,” she added.

The seventh piece to be performed that night is in the hip hop/modern style, and is choreographed by dance students Alli Weiss and Ashley Nitze. Taking a choreography class offered at City College (Fundamentals of Choreography PE 252) along with their dance classes, they got the opportunity to put a dance piece together for this show.

Local TV station The Santa Barbara Channels will be covering the concert, and Seigle said this is a wonderful opportunity for the program to be exposed to the greater community. She added that this increases the pressure on the dancers, knowing that each performance will be saved and seen over and over.

Weiss agreed that this is a big deal for the students, including herself.
“This is really professionally done. It’s in a theater where real dancers actually have put their feet. That’s an upper level thing for me,” she said.

Seigle said that being the Artistic Director means that she oversees all of the pieces and makes sure that the show has a flow. She is also the Costume Designer for this concert. Some of the clothes come from the dance department’s stock, and some they had to buy borrow, or even make.

“I guess we just beg, borrowed, and steal,” she said with a laugh.

Nitzel said that being a part of this concert has been an eye-opener for her in terms of what she wants to do later on in life.

“Dancing is like a new world to me,” she said. “An abstract world. I’ve always seen dance as my hobby, and not as a career. But getting more involved in this I wonder why it’s not my future.”

The students raised all the money needed for the Spring Dance Concert themselves by fundraising and from donors, without support from the college. Weiss said that this gave her and the other dancers even more fuel to fight, do better, and succeed.

This concert will be the last show Seigle will do with her ensemble. After two years as a faculty member she said it’s time for her to move on, as a career step.

Weiss said Seigle have been her biggest inspirational source, along with many other students in the process.
“Jennifer has great impact on every one. She’s the reason we’re doing this,” she said.

Tickets to the show may be purchased at the Garvin Box office or at the door. For advanced tickets, call (805) 965-5935.