Last Sunday, Nov. 10, Centennial Hall was filled with green lights, eye-catching decor and an excited audience on the edge of their seats as UNYK took the stage for their fall showcase. The theme for this year was inspired by Charli XCX’s latest album “Brat.” UNYK pulled together a set of dances to reflect the album’s message of confidence and female empowerment.
UNYK spent the past few months of school practicing for this showcase, but preparations for this performance trace back to this summer.
Senior Emma Hogren, PR co-chair of UNYK, said that the selection of the theme is a decision made by UNYK’s executive board. After that, the executive board takes over to start planning for the fall semester schedule.
“Basically, we vote on a theme over summer,” Hogren said. “Then we send out a form to see who wants to choreograph. Once we get all that organized, we set up practice dates, and at our kickoff event is when we reveal the show theme and our different dances to the whole group.”
Junior Paige Rogde, vice president of UNYK, said one of the reasons for this year’s theme was because of the time of selection. “Brat” was trending all over social media, with social media influencers creating videos inspired by having a “Brat” summer.
“The theme this year is ‘Brat,’” Rogde said. “It was very trendy this summer being an album by Charli XCX, and it just has a really cool message behind it of being unapologetically yourself and doing your own thing. The songs in the album are also just so fun to dance to so how could we not?”
While the music is an essential part of any dance, an equally important part of UNYK is the message behind their song selections and choreography.
This year, UNYK wanted to encourage confidence among its audience. From the confidence to go out on stage to dance to having confidence in your daily life, UNYK helps its members and audience see the power of dancing like nobody’s watching.
“A lot of the songs chosen this semester are all about having confidence,” Rogde said. “Having confidence in yourself, and especially for the people up on stage, having the confidence to do that. I hope we can inspire the audience to be confident in themselves and maybe do something that scares them a bit.”
Being surrounded by a healthy environment like UNYK creates an atmosphere of acceptance for those struggling to let it all out. Junior Sydney Shields, president of UNYK, said that UNYK helped build confidence and has given her a family to lean on for the moments when her confidence may falter.
“UNYK definitely pushes you out of your comfort zone,” Shields said. “I’ve been performing for eight years, yet no matter how long you’ve performed, you still get nervous. But being in UNYK helps to ease that nervousness because it’s just so accepting.”
Taking the stage is an art that not everyone can do, but UNYK allows everyone to shine in the spotlight.
“One of my favorite parts about being in UNYK is the fact that it allows you to express yourself in whatever way you see fit,” Rogde said. “It allows you to be creative and put your own spin on things. You’re not confined by any boundaries.”
UNYK has given many people across campus a home away from home and a space free from judgment where everyone can enjoy dancing their hearts out. This bond was shown off at the UNYK performance, from the start to the end, when everyone took their final bows and left smiling.
