The most unforgettable aspect of the Orchesis show happened in the silences. During one dance to an instrumental piece, the breaths taken and exhaled by the two dancers filled the room, magnifying their emotions. In these moments of silence, the intensity of their feelings came through loud and clear.
After only six weeks of weekly rehearsals, Orchesis dancers returned for their final showcase of the season, encapsulating a collection of unique and intricate dances. On April 10, 11 and 12, 50 Oak Park and River Forest High School Orchesis Contemporary Dance Company students held their highly anticipated Spring Showcase in the Main Auditorium, with a run-time of approximately 90 minutes. Titled SOAR, the showcase highlighted a variety of dance styles such as contemporary, lyrical and tap.
Sophomore and first-year Orchesis dancer Samantha Ryan described Orchesis as “such a good community.” A dancer since age 3, Ryan has years of communal dance experience behind her. But she learned some valuable lessons from her Orchesis peers over the last year.
“I’ve learned how to build a good community and how to trust others,” she said. “Since it’s student-choreographed, you really have to know how to respect your peers and respect the artist.”
As senior Eva Pateaude approaches the last few months of her high school years, she reflected on one of her highlights in Orchesis. “My junior year, I choreographed a dance to ‘Pray’ by Sam Smith with a senior, and that was just so fun.” she said. “It was so cool and a super creative space with such nice people, and I just love it,” Pateaude added.
Also a senior, Isabella Schwager shares why she decided to continue her passion for dance through her future minor in dance at University of Illinois-Urbana Champaign.
“Part of me always knew since I started dancing that I wanted to keep going with it,” she said. “But I have other interests I also want to pursue, and I think it was my way of keeping dance in my life because I knew I loved it and didn’t want to let it go.”
SOAR, the last dance of the show, performed by only seniors, symbolizes the transition seniors experience as they prepare to leave OPRF and pursue their passions in life beyond high school. “[It] has so much feeling and meaning behind it. I’m really excited for everyone to see it,” Pateaude said before the show.
“I think this is kind of like a goodbye to life as we know it as well as welcoming in the new life and letting us soar,” added Schwager.
When asked what their favorite dance in the show was, Ryan, Schwager and Pateaude agreed. They chose “The 30th,” by Billie Eilish, choreographed by Orchesis member and OPRF senior Ellie Endres.
“Ellie has a really unique movement quality that she uses in this dance which is really cool to see,” Schwager said.
Ryan especially enjoyed the music. “I love that piece. I love the way she incorporates the music. It’s one of my favorites, and I like her choreography a lot.”
Patenaude appreciated the emotion: “It almost makes me cry every single time that I see it. I just think the song is so emotional and the dance is so beautiful.”
