What is so exciting about the recital?

As a 10-year dance veteran, I have always been a fan of dance recitals. Everything, from the music to the choreography, brings a smile to my face and takes me back to the good old days of my own recitals. The standing ovation at the end of the recitals, with devoted family members giving out roses for their loved ones, is a sight that gives me chills. Yes, I am a sucker for dance recitals and I seize every opportunity to attend one.

So, when TAMIU's annual Fall Dance Recital came along, I could not resist the chance to go.

The Fall Dance Recital, held on November 20-21, 2009, is a way to showcase TAMIU's dance student's work for the semester. Dance majors were also featured in the recital, presenting some of their original work to the TAMIU audience. Dance instructors, such as Bede Leyendecker, Alison Bory, and Sandra Leal, were able to present their student's hard work to TAMIU administrators, faculty, students, and part of the Laredo community. Upper level dance majors, and minors, also had the chance to choreograph their own pieces and present them at the recital.

All in all, I am afraid to say that I was disappointed with this year's recital. I have attended many recitals, and been a part of many more, and this was not one of the best that I have seen.Previously, I have only attended one TAMIU recital before this one. The last recital, I came to, was two years ago, and I did not notice a lot of changes in the program. What I saw at this recital was almost predictable and foreseen.

The basics were all there. Ballet, folklorico, modern, and flamenco were all spotlights in the recital, and it all brought me back to that same recital two years ago. Yes, the dances were different, but the way that the program was set up and the way that it was presented was the same.

The recital also felt very short. I am sure that it did not feel very short for the dancers, but it did not satisfy the audience just enough. The number of pieces was not many, and it just ended too quickly. Some students only had the opportunity to present one piece, when I have seen recitals where each dancer dances up to two to three pieces at a time. Maybe the recital could have been longer if more pieces were created.

Not all of the recital was bad. There were some things that made the recital a memorable one. For one, the dance program had the opportunity to use the newly opened theatre at Fine & Performing Arts Center. The production and sue of the theatre was brilliant. All of the lighting was used beautifully and whoever designed the set deserves a huge round of applause.

Another positive thing that I witnessed in the recital, was the use of production pieces. One piece in particular, "1969" choreographed by Alison Bory, was amazing. It was a mash-up of several songs in one. It was a celebration of the year 1969 and featured music such as Jimi Hendrix's cover of the "Star Spangled Banner." Witnessing that piece was an honor, and I only wish that I could've been one of the dancers who interpreted it. If the recital featured more pieces like this, then I would go to every one of them.

As a fan of recitals, I saw a lot of negatives in this recital with a few positives to add to it. There is some room for improvement within the TAMIU dance program, but they also have a lot of good things going for them. I am looking forward to the next one!