On Sunday, Nov. 20, the UNYK Multicultural Dance Troupe performed their show titled “Cherry Bomb” in Centennial Hall. With a crowd of students and relatives watching, the atmosphere was bubbly and energetic as each performance began and remained that way throughout the show as cheers for friends blended with the music.

Various styles of dance were represented throughout the show, each one allowing the performers to express themselves both in their own way and as a united group.

Those performances were the result of hard work on everyone’s part, but were especially improved by the club’s executive board. Tricia Plachno, senior and president of the club, said the executive board truly committed to the dances. 

“It’s like magic,” Plachno said. “This executive board is so passionate about it, and every waking moment I can tell that they’re working, not to just make the show happen, but to make the show and the dance troupe better than it’s been in past years.”

The show consisted of 17 performances, including guest performances and a speech from both the vice president and president respectively. 

“We are the only no tryout dance troupe on campus,” Plachno said. “So quite literally anyone can join us and learn whatever they want.”

UNYK is centered around having a place for anyone who wants to dance. Francesca Anduray, junior and vice president of the club, enjoys the freedom to be different. 

“The reason I joined UNYK was because I was looking for a way to express myself through different dances other than contemporary,” Anduray said. “When I joined here, I felt like I had such a welcoming family that accepted me right away.”

With unity as a main goal of the club, it’s no wonder the performances looked so synchronized. All the dances were impressive and well crafted, especially evidenced by the audience’s reactions after each performance.

“We have 53 dancers this term, which is a lot of people to manage, but they all care so much,” Plachno said.

That number of dancers allowed a variety of performances, including some from the Nepali Student Association, Global Engagement Team and Latinx Unidos.

The relevance of the title “Cherry Bomb” displayed itself in the dances as it was described by Plachno.

“It’s an energy,” Plachno said. “I feel as though it kind of matches us in the sense that it’s very powerful, very strong, very bright, very flashy, and I think that really resonates with us since we are such a varied crowd and we do so many different things.”

The cherry bomb “pop” was prevelant in each performance, from the music to the precise yet expressive moves. When describing the show, Anduray emphasized the many aspects for the audience to look forward to.

“All the people here are very creative in their own ways. They’re strong,” Anduray said. “You’re gonna see a lot of sharp movements…[and] a lot of surprises that are actually very enjoyable.”

Beyond this show, more performances are coming in the future. UNYK performs one show of their own each semester, but also dances at other group events. 

“Alongside [our shows], we try to perform at other events,” Plachno said. “You’ll see us pop up at some point or another.”

It takes a lot of coordination, not just on the stage, to put together such a successful show. The executive board has been busy this semester to bring this show to fruition.

“When it comes to exec, we prepare over the summer, but then getting dancers together and coming up with dances, we don’t do that until the beginning of the semester,” Anduray said.

The passion for creating something the audience would be impressed by didn’t stop at the executive board however.

“This year, everybody wants to shine, and you can definitely see that,” Anduray said. “The dances are phenomenal.”

With every member of the club working to improve, as both Plachno and Anduray mentioned, whether it’s corrections during tech week or experiencing dance for the first time, this drive paid off and created a mesmerizing and truly unique experience for the audience.

If you want to become a part of UNYK, per the club president’s instructions, you can join by emailing [email protected] or DMing them on Instagram. According to Plachno, UNYK counts as a PE credit if you do three dances in the semester.

“If you’re looking to be a part of a welcoming, accepting dance troupe that does a variety of dances; if you’re looking for a close family and the feeling of belongingness and acceptance, then this is a great group to join,” Anduray said.