"Current" Choreography Preview: "Undertow" by Brad Elkins

"Undertow" is a five person composition by rookie composer Brad Elkins with direction from Sara Mae Hnilica. It is to the song 'Belispeak' by the electro pop duo Purity Ring, in which a fever-dreaming girl speaks to her grandmother on what she believes is her last day. Meanwhile, the dance follows a girl's struggle to survive in a churning sea which is personified by two aqua draped ladies. The two gentlemen represent the girl's strength, resilience, and the fight for life to persist. Following deep bass and a raucous synth track, this dance tests the performers athleticism and rhythm in an effort to honor crushing death and life's unwillingness to quit in three short minutes.

Come see Brad, Sara Mae, Marie Bartlett, Sydney Haymond, and Leith Meador perform "Undertow" on April 26th at Oconee Civic Center in Prelude Dance Ensemble's Spring 2015 Show, "Current."

Senior Spotlight: Starr Woods

Starr Woods auditioned for Prelude her freshman year (Fall 2011) and has been dancing and choreographing with us ever since! She will graduate with a degree in anthropology and plans to take a few years off after graduation to work before going back to graduate school to study historic preservation.

Prelude Dance Ensemble: What was your dance experience like before joining Prelude?

Starr Woods: I danced for 6 years before Prelude in a small studio and on my high school marching band's dance line.

PDE: How did you first hear about Prelude and what motivated you to audition?

SW: I heard about Prelude through a former high school dance captain and decided to join freshman year because I wanted to continue dancing throughout college, and I've done that.

Performing "Sail" in the fall 2013 show, "Mirror, Mirror"

PDE: You’ve choreographed a number of jazz pieces during your time in Prelude. Which has been your favorite?

SW: My favorite dance I've choreographed was the opener, “Hideaway,” in the Fall 2014 show. I enjoyed choreographing for the whole company and it was a fun dance.

PDE: Can you tell us a little bit about the piece you’re working on now for the spring show?

SW: Currently, I'm choreographing a piece with Grace Ho and Mariel Williams, my little and grand little in Gamma Sig. I've loved spending the extra time with them and getting to dance with them in a piece my last semester means a lot to me.

Incidental Gamma Sigma Sigma family matching at rehearsal, Fall 2014

PDE: What has been like to see so many people come and go through Prelude and see it evolve over time?

SW: It's been awesome to see how much Prelude has evolved over the past 4 years. Everyone has their own style and we know each other's strengths as dancers and I think that's really cool.

Rehearsing "Latch," Spring 2013

PDE: What will you miss most about Prelude after graduating?

SW: The thing I'll miss the most about Prelude is the people. I've enjoyed dancing with everyone over the years and I can't wait to see what Prelude has in store for future shows.

Starr, thank you for your commitment and passion over the past eight semesters! Keep on shining after graduation!

Be sure to see Starr and the rest of our seniors in their last show, “Current,” April 26 at Oconee Civic Center. 

Senior Spotlight: Stephanie Romero

It was fellow Prelude dancer John Esteban Rodriguez who convinced Stephanie Romero to audition for Prelude Dance Ensemble with him this semester. He knew she had prior dance experience and begged her to come with him so she, (being such a great friend), decided to tag along for auditions. She enjoyed the friendly and welcoming environment of the Prelude members. Luckily, she made the team and has been enjoying her experience ever since.

Prelude Dance Ensemble: What was your dance experience like before Prelude?

Stephanie Romero: I took ballet for about eight years from the ages of 8 to 16. I also danced in my high school's dance company, dancing in jazz, modern and contemporary pieces. Since my teenage years, I have danced salsa, bachata, and merengue recreationally.

PDE: What’re your top 3 favorite dances you’ve performed with Prelude?

SR: Considering I've only been in 4, all 4 are my favorites! (Opener, Closer, “Rule the World,” “Back to the River”).

PDE: What are some of your favorite Prelude memories?

SR: My favorite memory thus far has to be performing in the charity event for Children First. It was a group of 8 Prelude members that performed two of this semester's dances. It was nice to bond with a smaller group as I got to know some of them better. We also had a lot of laughs and giggles and great conversations. Plus, we ended up winning a $500 prize, which was awesome.

PDE: How do you feel about this semester being your last Prelude show?

SR: It is an interesting feeling for it to be my first and last show. I am wholly appreciative of the time I got to spend dancing once again. I was always very curious about what my life in college would have been had I danced throughout, but at least I got a taste of it.

PDE: What will you miss most about Prelude?

SR: I kinda got into the routine of seeing the members every Monday and Wednesday evening. I will miss the friendly environment of the group!

PDE: What do you think Prelude contributes to UGA as a whole?

SR: It definitely is a comfortable and nurturing place for people that like to dance contemporary and jazz. It is a great niche that exists on campus.

Stephanie will graduate in May with a degree in Anthropology, a minor in Women's Studies, and a certificate in Latin American & Caribbean Studies. She hopes to take the next few years to work, pursue her interests, travel abroad, and find her purpose in life. Dancing in Prelude inspired her to branch out to other forms of dance she has always been interested in, so wherever she ends up, you most likely will hear of her trying things like Latin Ballroom, Bharatanatyam, and traditional folk dances.

We've loved having you, even if it was for a short time! Break a leg this Sunday, Stephanie!

Be sure to see Stephanie and the rest of our seniors perform in their last show, "Compass," April 13 at the East Athens Educational Dance Center. 

Senior Spotlight: Javid Aceil

Javid Aceil has spent most of his free time in college playing ultimate Frisbee, but ever since joining the Prelude family last fall, he has jumped right into the dance world without hesitation. From learning how to point his toes to learning how to lift, Javid has embraced every challenge while always keeping a smile on his face. The enthusiastic energy he consistently brings to every rehearsal is always contagious. It’s not uncommon to hear him say at the end of a long and tiring rehearsal, “This was the best part of my day!” giving everyone else a positive boost when we most need it. Find out why Prelude gets him so excited!

Prelude Dance Ensemble: How did you first hear about Prelude and what motivated you to audition?

Javid Aceil: I was randomly walking home and a bunch of girls were shouting at me about their bake sale. So I turned around and gave them a dollar and that is how I found out about Prelude. I decided to audition because I had some extra time and my friend and I had really wanted to try and take a dance class for a while.

Working a Bake Sale a semester after finding us!

PDE: What was your dance experience like before joining Prelude?

JA: Bumpin and grindin (haha)

PDE: Your main extra-curricular at UGA has been ultimate-Frisbee. What made you want to try something as different as dance?

JA: I really just had free time since it was my 5th year in college. But over the course of my frisbee career at UGA, I’ve accumulated a reputation/status among all those guys and it was very intriguing to wipe my social slate with a bunch of new friends. I’ve always had fun dancing or singing to myself so I definitely had been wanting to give more of an effort to dancing.

PDE: Have there been unexpected similarities between the two?

JA: There are definitely similarities I’ve learned by trying to juggle both hobbies. Athletically, dancing requires one to always point their toes or be jumping or standing on your toes. These movements are extremely similar to the plyometric exercises we do to train for explosiveness in frisbee. Mentally, Prelude has helped me maintain a more positive attitude with my friends and teammates which has created a much more enjoyable atmosphere for me as a player and a leader.

PDE: What surprised you most about Prelude after joining?

JA: The most surprising thing for me was the trust everyone had in each other. A lot of the dance moves are pretty difficult and it was awesome to have the choreographers have faith and patience that the newer members would be able to learn and properly execute those moves in time for the show.

Rehearsing with the company for his first show, "Mirror Mirror," Fall 2013

PDE: What’s your proudest accomplishment in Prelude?

JA: I think just making it into the ensemble. It was a little intimidating to be thrown into choreography on tryout day, surrounded by so many great dancers with years of training. I was shouting about it to my roommates when I got the acceptance email.

PDE: What’re your top 3 favorite dances you’ve performed with Prelude?

JA: “Stay,” “We Don’t Eat,” and “Kaay Fecc” (African).

PDE: What’re your top 3 favorite Prelude dances (that you haven’t necessarily been in)?

JA: “Toxic,” “Epilogue,” and “Dancing in the Dark.” [Note: Javid wins Prelude MVP for having done his homework…”Toxic” is a duet from Fall 2011, four semesters before he even joined us.]

Performing "We Don't Eat," Fall 2013

PDE: What are some of your favorite Prelude memories?

JA: My favorite Prelude memory so far was going to Steak & Shake after we had finished our show day. Seeing everyone finally be relieved and stress-free after all their hard work and just enjoying each other’s company was really awesome. I think my cheeks hurt after all the laughter and smiles. One of my more common favorite moments is during any practice where there is a pause in between choreography instruction. Usually someone will goof around and do some other dance moves that I always try to copy and that’s a ton of fun for me.

PDE: How do you feel about this being your last Prelude show?

JA: I’m not really good at goodbyes or anything so I don’t think I’ll be upset when it’s over. There’s so much love from everyone and giving hugs and smiles after the show is going to be an amazing atmosphere to be a part of for me and be happy even though there will be tears.

PDE: Why should boys join Prelude?

Practicing a lift for "Stay"

JA: Because dance is for everyone. It’s a great activity and you get to meet a lot of cool new people to share experiences. Specifically, Prelude has like an 11:1 girl to guy ratio and contemporary dances can always use guys for lifts or jumps. Prelude has sufficiently put a smile on my week for the whole semester and I don’t really see why anyone wouldn’t want that.

PDE: What do you think Prelude contributes to UGA as a whole?

JA: Prelude is just a great outlet for any UGA student. Having a separate circle of friends that are all there for a common goal that has nothing to do with school is amazing. Every time I come to Prelude it changes my day or my week; I always leave with a smile on my face and feel less stressed no matter what I’ve been going through. I think every student should have something like that to keep a good balance in their lifestyle.  

PDE: Do you plan to stay involved in dance after graduation?

JA: Yes! I am going to be a Zumba instructor at my local LA Fitness… I mean if there are opportunities that come up where I can continue, I will definitely make an effort. Most likely, however, I will continue my daily dancing in the kitchen, trying to master double pirouettes among other turns.

Performing "Stay" with Katie Lamp'l, Fall 2013 

Javid is graduating with a degree in Molecular Biology & Biochemistry and Computer Science. He is working towards entering the new field of Bioinformatics in order to incorporate both of his majors. In the long term, he plans on going to medical school, or ”if advancements in technology allow for more discoveries along the lines of cancer treatment or biofuel production,” he’ll continue on in Bioinformatics.

Javid, though you were with us for only a year, you have truly become an integral part of the Prelude family! Thank you so much for the fun, the smiles, the laughs, all of the hard work, and of course, those ultimate Frisbee lessons. Break a leg on Sunday!

Be sure to see Javid and the rest of our seniors in their last show, “Compass,” April 13 at the East Athens Educational Dance Center.