With over twenty dazzling performances, there was certainly no shortage of talent at Colgate University Dancefest 2022. From ballet to lyrical to hip-hop and more, Dancefest showcased a wide variety of dance styles and students’ hard work in a variety of groups. All the different styles were brought together in one spectacular show, as first-year and Dancefest attendee Felicia Paul emphasized. 

“I feel like I saw lots of different things, but it was all one show, and I thought that was really cool because there were so many different styles of dance and everyone was really good at all different things.”

Dancefest started off with a performance that featured the majority of the dance groups, giving the audience a glimpse of the individual performances that were to come. 

Following the opening number, the Colgate Ballroom Dancers took the stage. Their impressive lifts and smooth movements started off the showcase strong. Their second performance, later in the show, continued to demonstrate their incredible lifts and passion for dance.

The Colgate Dance Team performed two high-energy routines that combined elements of hip-hop and ballet. Contrastingly, the Colgate Tap Troupe showed off the lyrical side of tap with a moving, dramatic routine followed later by a faster-paced, hip-hop inspired routine. FUSE Dance Company, which strives to incorporate a variety of dance styles with a contemporary basis, was beautiful to watch, especially with their stunning signature move. The audience also enjoyed inspiring, contemporary-jazz routines from Groove Dance Troupe and Shock Dance Group. Meanwhile, the dancers in the Colgate Dance Initiative performed an elegant ballet routine, as did the Colgate Ballet Company, whose eye-catching costumes in their second dance made them even more stunning to watch. The Latin-American Dance performances featured a hip-hop routine to popular Latin-American songs and a second salsa routine. 

The remainder of the groups continued to bring electrifying energy to the stage. Sipsam dance group took the stage by storm with what appeared to be the largest group of the night and wowed the crowd with their well-coordinated, synchronized K-pop choreography and a surprise costume change. Melanated also commanded the stage with an African social dance and hip-hop routine that impressed the audience with its synchronization, groove and rhythm. Another hip-hop group, DDT, featured pop songs and exciting choreography. One final hip hop and mixed-style pack of dancers, known as WolfPack, showed off a unique dance that combined hip-hop with more expressive, while still electric, elements. Another unique routine was an Alice and Wonderland-inspired dance that brought the audience lots of color, whimsy and fun with its choreography and costumes. 

No matter the style or size of the group, the Colgate and Hamilton community supported every performance, as Paul noted. 

“It was really nice to see a lot of people in the Colgate community and people from Hamilton come to support the dancers and just get really involved and really excited about it.” 

Sara Sexton, a first-year that has danced for most of her life and performed with the Colgate Ballet Company, Dance Team and Dance Initiative, shared her first Dancefest experience. 

“It was so nice to see so many people at Dancefest to support all the amazing dance groups on campus! Definitely looking forward to the next one!”

The audience certainly enjoyed the show and it was evident through the incredible performances that the dancers certainly worked hard and love their art. The outstanding attendance at Dancefest attests to how excited the community is to experience that passion through the showcase. First-year Ellie Meunier was truly inspired by the dancers. 

“It made me really want to join a dance group,” said Meunier. 

Dancefest will return again in the Spring with more awe-inspiring and electric performances in store for the community.