Long Beach City College’s Dance Team hosted a fundraising showcase Oct. 27. The hour-long event highlighted what students had learned in their dance classes while also giving prospective students a look at the courses offered at LBCC.
The night was filled with performances from many different styles and dance levels. The director and co-director of the dance department, Stephanie Powell and Martha Pamintuan emphasized that many of the dancers were new to dance training.
Pamintuan expressed the importance of making sure the students were seen and represented.
“The fundraiser’s showcase purpose was to make sure and showcase all our students in every single dance class. Also bringing attention to the dance program, and getting students into our classes,” Pamintuan said.
The LBCC Pilates Dance Team performing with exercise balls and yoga mats during the Dance Fundraiser Showcase on Oct. 27. The event was hosted by the LBCC Dance Team. (Jonathan Lopez)
The showcase opened with an electric performance from the school’s official dance club. They performed a hip-hop medley, getting an exciting reaction from the audience.
Pamintuan also expressed the importance of inclusion in dance, making sure that everyone of every background gets a chance to shine on stage.
“On stage we saw a variety of dancers come through the stage, different genders, different sizes, different levels of technique, all in the same classroom and achieving the thing most people are like ah I can’t do it,” Pamintuan said.
As the show continued, the audience saw performances from the modern dance and jazz classes, along with a solo by award-winning pointe dancer Ryan Diaz, who performed a piece from “Don Quixote.”
Attendee and LBCC student, Phyre Romero, shared her enjoyment of the show.
“I thought it was wonderful, I always love seeing my friends dance,” Romero said.
Romero also expressed that she plans on joining the department during the spring semester.
Benjamin Ruiz shared that it would be his last showcase and dance show this fall before transferring.
“I’m grateful to be dancing with a lot of talented people, many of them are my friends. I talk to my niece who’s five, who thinks I’m the best dancer in the world. I respond and say you should meet my friends,” Ruiz said.
Ruiz went on to talk about the upcoming dance concert and the exciting differences that the audience didn’t see that night.
“We have costumes, stage designers, lighting designers, music design. We have all sorts of things going on,” Ruiz said.
LBCC’s next dance concert will be held on Friday Nov. 6 at 7 p.m., and Saturday Nov. 7, at 1 p.m. and 7 p.m.
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