The Greenhill Dance Company is taking its annual trip to Southern Methodist University to view the Student Choreography Showcase on Oct. 5.
The event was previously known as the Brown Bag Series, named for the students who would bring their own lunch and crowd around the Marley Dance Floor of the lobby of the Owen Arts Center. During the showcase, SMU dance majors perform for about an hour, showcasing 10-15 pieces.
Greenhill students have been taking this trip for about 20 years, with an interruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Last year marked the resumption of the field trip to SMU.
“I hope the dance students leave inspired about performing and take away buckets of choreography ideas to add into their own student works,” said Greenhill dance instructor Kelly McCain.
Greenhill dancers are exposed to a great diversity in styles of dance at the showcase which allows students to develop new inspiration for their own choreography and costumes.
“I am excited to go because there is always new student choreography that we can learn from,” said eighth-grade dance student Sophia Yang.
Other students agreed.
“We get inspired from it as well because we all do our own student choreography pieces,” said eighth grader Grace Helms.
The Student Choreography Showcase also serves as a bonding experience for members of the Dance Company. Students come back feeling a better sense of community and sharing various inside jokes.
“One thing I have noticed is we all have these little references from the show,” said Helms. “Like there was this one performance last year called LOL and we still reference it to this day.”
McCain observes that students look forward to being on a college campus. They also enjoy the interaction between the Middle and Upper School Dance Companies.
“I feel like we got closer as a group and I enjoyed being on the college campus,” said Helms.
There is another twist to this year’s trip. The Owen Arts Center is being renovated and updated with new lighting, moving the showcase to SMU’s Hope Theatre. Additionally, Greenhill Dance Company members are not bringing their “brown bag” lunch – they will eat in the school cafeteria instead before departing for the trip.
After the showcase is over, McCain takes a photograph of the Dance Company on the SMU campus and leads discussions with her students about the performances.
Eighth grader Eli Wenzel is among the Middle School dance students looking forward to the trip.
“It’s also always fun to go on a field trip,” said Wenzel. “It makes the average day feel more special.”
