UNYK held their annual spring show entitled “Dance the Night Away” last weekend on April 16.  After a day of perfect spring weather, people gathered together at Centennial Hall in a spirit of unity and friendship in support of this amazing campus organization and its members.
The crowd consisted of mostly fellow students and close family members, who did not hesitate to support and cheer each other on.
A relaxed atmosphere filled the auditorium, quiet with anticipation while waiting for the next performance, until the energy changed instantly as the dancers entered onto the stage.
This spring’s show consisted of twelve separate, and yes unique, dance routines, each choreographed by individual group members. It was definitely exciting waiting to see what the next performance would bring and what they would be wearing, as each group wore a simple yet distinctive costume.
Some of the performances, such as “Identity Crisis,” were dramatically emphasized with blue or red stage lighting.
Another distinctive routine was “Stomp,” which synchronized clapping hand and body choreography. The stage design was minimalistic with just simply falling lights and a city scape.
Most of the dances were set to contemporary artists and songs, such as Justin Bieber’s “Sorry” and Fall Out Boy’s “Irresistible.” They threw it back to “Bye Bye Bye” to prove they were really *NSYNC.
The group also featured performances from other on campus groups, Dance Company and the Martini Swingers, to help transition between performances and to show support to other campus groups.
The most entertaining and lively moments of the evening were Dance Company’s tap performance and the Martini Swingers rendition of “Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy” by the Andrew Sisters.
UNYK is a student organization on campus that promotes diversity throughout campus and in the community.
Each year this multicultural group puts on entertaining performances through exploring different types and styles of dance.
“We’ve been practicing and rehearsing since week five of winter term. Our spring show is our largest show, so it takes a lot of time and preparation,” said Gabrielle Cuellar. Cuellar has served as president of UNYK for the past two years.
UNYK also took time in their program to thank and say goodbye to the senior members with a nostalgic slideshow commemorating each senior member through photos of them as children and now.
“The whole night is very emotional. We were crying beforehand. The whole thing is a sort of prologue; I’ve seen us all grow and change over the years,” said Cuellar.
The night was also for a good cause. During the second half of the show, Anna Dominguez presented a speech and a plea for support on the ongoing plight of the water crisis affecting the town of Flint, Michigan.
They set up a donation outside the auditorium for collection. It was nice that they took the time to shine light to the cause.
Overall, the night was a success, bringing together the Augustana community and family for a night of fun for a good cause.
UNYK is always accepting new members, so check out their Facebook page or email them at [email protected]. Make sure to check out their fall show.