George Washington University 2026 Spring Dance Concert by Juliana Pironti

Corcoran School of the Arts and Design Program of Theatre & Dance presents NEXT 2026 SPRING DANCE CONCERT

Directed by Anna Jayne Kimmel

April 18, 2026 at 2 pm

Dorothy Betts Marvin Theatre

GW University Student Center

March 8th, 2026, 8pm

By Juliana Pironti

Photos by Briana Diaz

On a seemingly rare warm spring afternoon in April, I made my way to the George Washington University campus to view their 2026 Spring Dance Concert. With ten minutes to spare, I successfully managed to find myself at the wrong building. After much circling and pulling on locked doors, that fact became apparent. Thus began a 20-minute, quick-paced journey to the student center where the show was actually taking place. However, once again upon arrival, I pulled on one, two, three locked doors. After so much trial and error, I asked a real life GW student for assistance, and luckily for me, they complied. The fourth door is the charm, they say!

Sweaty, sticky, and now a little out of breath, I walked into the theater to find dancers spread throughout the stage in a calculated manner, breaking in and out of unison material. I was immediately thrust into the world of SEAM SPLIT, created by guest artist slowdanger.

The spread-out fluctuation between percussive unison and the seemingly improvisational material of the dancers created a space that felt isolated yet shared, in tension and in experience. It reminded me of how fear is used as a device to make one feel isolated even within shared spaces. About 30 seconds later, this thought was validated when the word "fear" was repeated over and over in the sound score. Which, to me, was very satisfactory, however I did have an internal debate if it was too on the nose.

There was a moment where the dancers clumped downstage near the staircase leading to the audience and made direct eye contact with us. Not only did this incite a little fear in me, a feeling that they were somehow going to run up the stairs and charge, but it was also the first time I really got to see their faces. They were sweaty, with hair stuck to their own faces or perhaps a friend's. This moment was particularly impactful after that initial world of isolated fear; I was finally able to identify these moving bodies not only as performers, but as people. Seeing their ribcages expand and collapse as they breathed, looking into their eyes… for some reason, I felt a deep desire to hug them, or to care for them in some way.

Soon after my instinctual need to nurture was interrupted by a microphone being hoisted in the air horizontally as one of the dancers spoke into it. Their tone fluctuated like a song, elongating vowels and speaking in a rhythmic tone.This imagery was impactful; the first image that came to mind for me was a gun. Perhaps it was because I had just seen The Drama (the movie featuring Zendaya and Robert Pattinson) or because in America those are always prevalent, but the association was there. This microphone was also used to push the dancer around the stage, challenging them to reach new levels, twists, and turns as they spoke.

What stood out most beautifully about this piece was the relationship between the dancers. Within this clear interrogation of the systems and institutions our nation (or any) is built upon, there was a profound sense of unity. Through their every breath, it was clear they were constantly supporting each other, sharing weight both physically and mentally. Perhaps that is why my own instincts of care were so deeply triggered; it was so vastly apparent in the dancers' bodies that it didn't even need to be spoken aloud.

After finally taking my seat following my late entry, the next work began: Motion in Memory, a senior thesis by Olivia Earley. While the movement in this piece was absolutely stunning, it didn't feel like there was a strong impact. I repeatedly found myself asking "Why?" Why did the music have lyrics? Why did the dancers leave the stage? Why is the soloist different from the rest of the dancers? Why are the transitional moments just blackouts? While the movement was clear, what wasn't as apparent was the contextual background upon which it was built. I would have loved to see deeper into this student's mind and their process, and for it to be a bit more… messy.

The next work was also a senior thesis, REUPTAKE by Kelsey Kriker, and it was one of the standouts of the show! The piece began with a very jarring alarm which disoriented the audience (and me). This effectively made me curious and ready for anything to happen next: an excellent primer.This alarm repeated throughout the work, usually acting as a sort of "restart" or transition for the audience and dancers. My internal alarm system never quite settled while the sound played. It created a yummy discomfort that repeated almost to the point of "oh, not this again," yet the structural technique made the piece easier to digest.

The piece took place mostly in duets, clearly demarcated by the colors the dancers were wearing as well as movement motifs. All the movement felt calculated and well-thought-out; there did not seem to be any frivolous tricks or filler. I especially thought the duet wearing green had a stunning relationship and commitment to the movement; in both their bodies and facial expressions, they were amazing to watch and I wanted more! Moments of stillness felt earned, like a necessary break for the audience to take in and sit with everything that had just been thrown at us. I appreciated this, as most sections had a lot happening, with three sets of duets usually performing different sequences simultaneously.

The sound score was absolutely fantastic, brilliantly crafted and deeply researched. You could tell there was immense energy behind every chosen element; it fully supported the movement. The meticulous effort shown in the editing beautifully reflected the leadership and dedication that clearly took place in rehearsals to yield such a wonderful performance. Brava!

We quickly shifted gears to an upbeat dance rooted in street and club styles: Building the Beat by guest artist Project Charma. I always appreciate when a concert is curated to have an uplifting moment for the audience, and this was exactly that. After all, we can't always ruminate in doom and despair (even if it feels good sometimes.)

The piece began with personal voice notes from the dancers, which was a great introduction to them before they hit the stage together, emphasizing their individuality. The footwork was gnarly, and the dancers looked great doing it! Knowing firsthand how difficult it is to nail such intricate footwork while maintaining a performance quality, I was so impressed, they looked like they were having an absolute blast.I loved hearing the dancers encourage each other from on and off stage. In this way, it didn't feel performative for the audience; rather, we were invited into their jam. It felt like this was going to take place whether we were there or not. The repetition also aided this, as it was accessible for the audience and made me want to join in! It was a little short,I wish there had been more, but I appreciate the difficulty of the work performed.

The last work was Room of Compartments, choreographed by faculty artist Brendan Drake, a professor at George Washington University. The opening image was stunning: some people stood in front of the curtain while other body parts peered out from the curtain, or were rather "cut off" by it. There was an intense stillness at the beginning of the work, and all the dancers had their eyes closed. It made me feel very voyeuristic. The stillness lasted just long enough for tension to build; I was curious about what would come next without feeling bored.

When the curtains finally opened, we were met by a raw background, not covered by a cyclorama or traveler, but showing the back wall with electrical components, posters, and a machinery lift. This choice subverted audience expectations once again, especially since the rest of the pieces in the concert were contained within the same traditional space. The space was explored even more, when some dancers walked up into the audience for what I can only describe as a "casual mog".

As for the movement, much like the Met Gala theme in 2019, it was CAMP. It was very acrobatic: somersaults, cartwheels, high kicks, and sliding splits. These can often feel frivolous or childlike, but within the context of the piece, they took on a new, fundamental form of expression. The piece felt like walking through a mansion party where every room introduced me to new people and new rules of movement. Something about this raw, deconstructed, casual-yet-high-effort, campy, "serious silliness" scratched a very specific itch for me, the kind that is usually so hard to reach you have to ask a friend for help. I was overjoyed to see young people getting to experience dance like this: dance that doesn't feel like life or death, that allows you to breathe, explore, and move playfully, unafraid of failing because so what?

Ultimately, the vibe of this concert felt like a beautifully curated fragmentation of self. In each work, I could truly see each choreographer's personality shine through and reflect onto me. Taking me through an internal theme park ride that revealed new facets of self along the way, and I thoroughly enjoyed the ride. There are exciting things ahead for these artists and voices. Beautiful work was done here, and I hope to see these experiences continue to deepen and burst open the practices and ideas of these young creators!

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