In case anyone missed Whiplash’s THON or Homecoming routines this year, the Whiplash Dance Team will bring its moves downtown in a free dance performance at 7 p.m. Friday at the State Theatre, 130 W. College Ave.
The event will include additional performances by Centre Dance and a cappella group, The JoePas , Whiplash President Laura Mellone said.
The team has performed during campus events such as the Homecoming Parade and the Interfraternity Council/Panhellenic Dance Marathon. The team was recently asked to perform during intermission for the wrestling team as well, Mellone (senior-secondary education) said.
After winning first place in the Homecoming competition , the team performed at the Homecoming pep rally, but it’s on the stage where it really wants to show off its choreography.
Mellone said dancing on an actual stage, like she and her teammates are used to from their dance backgrounds, is going to be exciting, as opposed to the open setting that performing on campus provides.
“What’s unique about a lot of the club teams is that we all self-choreograph,” Mellone said.
Though Whiplash calls itself a hip-hop group, it branches out into many areas of dance, including lyrical and jazz, Mellone said, adding that contemporary style is also popular among the team.
Marketing Director at the State Theatre Cathy Brown said the audience can expect a lot of energy and a broad range of dance from the performance.
“There’s so much effort, so much energy, so much dedication that goes into creating an organization like this and it’s become a very respected organization,” Brown said. “Something like that deserves to be recognized and deserves to be valued.”
Brown said the performance will reflect the group’s personality through the variety of its styles in addition to having to incorporate new members into the routines.
She said the group has performed its spring show at the theater previously, and as with any student organization, it’s a great opportunity to come out and support another student group.
The JoePas’ Business Manager Rob Montgomery said it will keep the performance simple with its “standard stuff.” The performers will also be doing a little bit of choreography — but nothing like what Whiplash does.
This event will be its first time performing with Whiplash, and Montgomery (sophomore-musical theatre) said the a cappella group’s very excited.
“Whiplash will be fantastic,” he said. “We would love to see people there, and we think it will be a lot of fun.”
