The Mac Dance winter showcase, “Rooted in Rhythm”, took place on Jan. 8 and 9 in the Austin ISD Performing Arts Center and featured performances from Pre-Pro, Evolving, Emerging and beginner classes. The show included a wide variety of dance styles and was the product of months of rehearsal and preparation from both the students and directors. Through both director and guest-choreographed pieces, the show highlighted the technical development as well as the sense of community found within the MAC Dance Program.

The theme “Rooted in Rhythm” guided the whole show. According to MAC Dance director Natalie Uehara, the idea came together naturally. 

“Honestly, the picture that we chose for the poster really inspired it,” Uehara said. “I was thinking how everything we do is rooted in rhythm.” The title is also connected to the year-long program theme of “rooted and reaching,” symbolizing both foundation and growth. 

Rather than strictly guiding the guest choreographers to match the theme of the showcase, Uehara intentionally gave them creative freedom. 

“I tend to choose themes that are kind of broad, so that the guest choreographers don’t have to really be so specific to a theme,” Uehara said. This flexibility allowed each piece to feel unique while still fitting into the overall theme of the show. Traditions have also remained, such as a flamenco dance for first-year dancers and a tap piece for second-year students.

Sophomore Nina Schuwek, who performed in multiple pieces, described the show’s experience as meaningful and exciting. 

“It was a cool experience to go from backstage to onstage, and I feel like being in shows like this helps our class grow,” Schuwerk said. For her, performing alongside dancers at different stages in the program made the experience especially rewarding.

 “As you’re moving up in MAC Dance, it’s cool to interact with more people who are freshly in pre-pro that you’ll be working with next year,” Schuwerk explained. Pre-Pro is a group of dancers who are either in their third or fourth year in the program. Schuwerk performed in “Rain in Your Black Eyes”, “Golden Grooves”, “Perfect” and “Echos Beneath the Sun”. Her favorite piece was “Echoes Beneath the Sun”, a contemporary piece that stood out for its collaborative process. 

“We crafted it a lot as a class,” she said. In this show, the dancers learned not just how to work together while performing on stage, but also in class to continue growing with every rehearsal.

Comparing this year’s winter showcase to her freshman year, Schuwerk noticed a significant difference. 

“I just felt more solid as a dancer, technique-wise,” Schuwerk said. “And also very comfortable with my evolving class.” Schuwerk feels that the group felt more unified this year. 

“When we were on stage, it felt more cohesive when we were dancing together,” she said.

That growth didn’t come without challenges, though. Schuwerk explained that scheduling was an obstacle for the evolving class. 

“There were some points in the year when we would have three-week periods with no rehearsal,” Schwerk said. She also noted that staying consistent with their routines was difficult. Learning choreography in sections rather than from beginning to end was also challenging, but ultimately helped the dancers develop adaptability.

Senior Olivia Pittman experienced the winter showcase from a different perspective. As both a performer and a student director, Pittman balanced being on stage with taking on leadership responsibilities.

 “Being a senior, the dance was very different from years prior,” Pittman said. “Not only is it sentimental having our second to last concert in MAC Dance, but I also gained more responsibilities this year.”

Pittman performed in four pieces: “Children”, “Linked”, “Senior Icons” and “Varsha”. One of the most meaningful performances for her was “Senior Icons,” a piece that pushed the senior class outside of their comfort zone. 

“I was really proud of the seniors for ‘Senior Icons’ because I think that this piece was in a style that the majority of us aren’t used to,” she said. With limited rehearsal time, the seniors of MAC Dance had to be collaborative and efficient. 

“I think we were able to work together and with our choreographer to make the piece successful,” Pittman said.

Time constraints were a challenge for the senior class as well. Pittman explained that rehearsals were limited due to scheduling conflicts and limited rehearsal time. 

“We strictly have B-day Fridays to rehearse for this piece [Senior Icons],” Pittman said. “It was definitely a time crunch, but we were able to pull it together regardless of time constraints.” The success of the piece reflected the dedication the senior class has built over the years in the program and their growth throughout the years.

For Pittman, MAC Dance has been more to her than just performances. 

“During my time in MAC Dance, I have been exposed to numerous new styles and teachings in dance, broadening my understanding of the art,” Pittman said. She also emphasized how the program encourages growth, saying it taught her to “keep an open mind and be patient with myself when I am trying new things.” MAC dance has many different dancers and styles incorporated into the show. 

“My favorite part of the show was being able to see all the talented dancers in different styles of dance,” Pittman said. “MAC Dance has such a diverse group of dancers, so it is so fun to see someone in their element on stage.”

Uehara had a lot of pride as she was reflecting on the show, “Rooted in Rhythm”. 

“It’s crazy to me because I feel like every year they get stronger and stronger,” she said. “Every year, I’m like, that was the best show we’ve done, and then the next year, it’s even stronger.” She also mentioned that this year’s winter showcase was particularly demanding.

 “I think that it was definitely the most challenging technical show we’ve ever done,” Uehara said. Rooted in Rhythm had very high energy and stamina required by the dancers. 

Despite the challenges of timing the show shortly after winter break, Uehara found the experience rewarding, especially from watching from the audience’s point of view. “Watching the show from the audience and seeing everyone just be really excited about it was one of the highlights for me,” Uehara said. She also valued seeing how her younger dancers rose to the occasion to meet the level of the older dancers, reinforcing the program’s sense of progression throughout the years.

Both the dancers and directors shared similar hopes for what the audience would take away from the show. Schuwerk hoped to convey the stories in their own way. “I definitely heard that a lot of people resonated with some of the pieces more than others because of their own stories,” Schuwerk said. Pittman had similar hopes that the audience would just have a fun time, considering all the work put into this show. “I hope the audience had fun at our show and was able to see all of the hard work we put in and how much we all love to dance,” Pittman said.

Overall, “Rooted in Rhythm” showcased the hard work, growth and dedication of the MAC Dance program. The winter showcase highlighted a range of dance styles and reflected the technical and personal development of the dancers throughout the year. Through collaboration and consistent effort, MAC Dance successfully performed pieces that strengthened the program and continued improvement.