Photo by Parker Meyers, Staff Photographer
Editor’s note: The Daily Campus’ Editor in Chief Karla Perez is a member of the UConn Dance Company. She did not contribute to writing this article.
The University of Connecticut Dance Company hosted its Spring 2026 Showcase at the Jorgensen Center for the Performing Arts on Tuesday, April 28, with nearly 500 tickets sold, according to Amber Kohl, the president of the UConn Dance Company.
Jessie Roth, a fourth-semester physiology and neurobiology student who joined the UConn Dance Company at the beginning of her third semester, said the showcase was her very first Jorgenson recital. She also mentioned that being a part of it was a marvelous experience.
“Closing out my first year in the UConn Dance Company has been nothing short of amazing,” Roth said. “Having the opportunity to dance again has been incredibly rewarding, and I feel so lucky to dance with this group.”
The show had 12 group performances consisting of hip hop, lyrical, contemporary, musical theatre and jazz styles. The performances also featured an array of artists, such as Boyz II Men, Bridie Jackson, Fleetwood Mac, Madonna and Timbaland.
The Spring 2026 Showcase began with a remarkable performance of “The Phantom of the Opera,” whose music was composed by Emmy Rossum and Gerard Butler. In the performance, half the dancers wore black suits and white masks while the remainder wore white dresses. The entire set was spectacular. The dancers exhibited perfect synchronization, and the flawlessness they provided clearly demonstrated the hard work they put into the performance.
The 11 other group dances were just as excellent, but some stood out against the rest.
A memorable performance was “Dracula,” by Labrinth. Compared to the other performances, this one gave the audience a taste of suspense and horror. All the dancers were dressed in red and black outfits, and as they gracefully danced on stage, red spotlights illuminated it, adding to the choreography’s spooky background.
In addition to the 12 group choreographies, the recital had 10 solo dances that spanned across tap, contemporary, jazz and lyrical. Numerous artists were featured in them, including Thelma Houston, Natasha Richardson, Sam Sparro and Brad Paisley.
One of the best solo performances was “Lover, You Should’ve Come Over,” a Jeff Buckley song danced to by Hailey Merk. Compared to the other performances, Merk’s perfectly matched the song’s desperate and emotional tone. Not only were her spins, rolls and kneels wonderful, but she sat on stage and buried her face in her hands at the end of the song, symbolizing its theme of heartbreak.
In the middle of the show, the UConn Kickline did an exceptional choreography of “On the Floor,” a Jennifer Lopez tune featuring Pitbull. The dance had perfect synchronization, and it featured cohesive turns, rolls and leg raises.
Towards the end of the recital, the UConn Dance Company honored its nine seniors. One of them is Karla Perez, an eighth-semester journalism and communications student who works as the Editor-in-Chief at The Daily Campus.
To celebrate their seniors, the UConn Dance Company presented two videos where each senior was praised by one of their peers. In the praises, the members discussed memorable things the seniors did, how the seniors were inspirational to them and what their post-graduate plans are. Baby pictures and childhood photos of the seniors were presented as well.
Photo by Parker Meyers, Staff Photographer
After the videos were played, the seniors performed their very last dance together on stage. While they gracefully danced to “Lullabye” by Billy Joel, they held roses that were eventually tossed at the audience. When the song concluded, the audience gave immense applause to the seniors, who shared a group hug on stage.
Following the senior celebration was another video, which contained clips and photos of the UConn Dance Company’s journey throughout the semester. Some remarkable highlights in the video were HuskyThon, rehearsals and some members attending the Men’s Basketball Championship Watch Party. After the video, the UConn Dance Company concluded their recital with a breathtaking choreography that encompassed five Lady Gaga songs: “Poker Face,” “Bad Romance,” “Judas,” “LoveGame” and “Paparazzi.”
Kohl said she feels grateful for all the hard work the UConn Dance Company put in to produce this remarkable show, even though they faced some obstacles.
“This semester brought some unique challenges since we had such an intense winter,” Kohl said. “We had many rehearsals cancelled due to weather closures, which made things a bit hectic. However, you would not be able to tell from our performance since we pulled it off and still brought 12 wonderful and polished group pieces to the stage without missing a beat.”
Kohl also said she feels incredibly proud of the company and its members.
“Each and every dancer is so talented, dedicated and passionate,” Kohl said. “They showed up to rehearsal every week throughout the entire semester to prepare for this very moment.”
Jaelyn Gonzalez, a sixth-semester Quinnipiac University student double majoring in psychology and sociology, said she loved the recital.
“I thought the show was amazing,” Gonzalez said. “I really loved the lights, and I loved the way they followed the dancers.”
Madison Amendola, a fourth-semester nursing student and a member of the UConn Dance Company, said her favorite part of the recital was watching all the dances backstage and cheering on all her friends.
“Watching from the wings of the stage is very personal, and I get to watch everyone’s hard work pay off,” Amendola said. “Watching everyone’s smiles as they walk off knowing that they did an amazing job is also one of my favorite parts.”
Amendola also mentioned that she’s thrilled to be in the group.
“I will always be in debt to the UConn Dance Company, and my time here will be unforgettable, Amendola said. “From not wanting to dance anymore in college to finding this amazing group, I am so grateful. It’s been such a fun way to meet people and be part of a team that shares the same passion for dance.”