Davidson’s Dance Department is in the middle of preparations to put on a dynamic display of culture for the Davidson community in its upcoming 3rd Annual Faculty Dance Showcase. 

The various student dance numbers choreographed by faculty will present an informal showing later this week ahead of the showcase on Dec. 5-6 in the Barber Theatre. To Visiting Assistant Professor of Dance Joy Davis, the showcase’s artistic director, the production would not be possible without the work of Chair and Associate Professor of Dance Alison Bory.

“[Bory] has been growing the dance minor and the dance department and the ways in which dance has been sort of embedded into the liberal arts here,” Davis said. “She’s done such an incredible job, and […] the growth and the interest has sort of reached a point where we have this [student involvement].”

The 2025 production format is expected to set the formula for the showcase going forward. Starting this year, the department will invite guest directors to work with students, bringing specialized pieces to the showcase. This year’s guest director is Gaspard Louis, a Haitian choreographer and founder of his dance company, Gaspard&Dancers. Gaspard is working with Davidson student dancers on “Around Within,” a set that is currently travelling the country with Gaspard’s company.

All the dancers have a range of experience, from taking Assistant Professor of Dance Aparna Nambiar’s introductory dance class to being part of Gamut Dance Company, Davidson’s audition-based student company. Each choreographer –– Nambiar, Davis, Bory and Louis –– has four student dancers in each of their pieces. Each piece has its own story.

The students are not solely dance minors. 

“The embodied skills that we learn in the dance studio are transferable to all arenas of life: spatial awareness, non-violent communication, collaboration, creative critical thinking, problem solving, cultivating coordination, cultivating empathy and diversity of viewpoint,” Davis said.

Yutika Patel ’26 is a political science major and dance enthusiast. Patel is trained in Bharatnatyam, a classical Indian dance form and was a former choreographer for Davidson Bhangra. Last spring, Patel took Nambiar’s Odissi Dance Technique class. “I wanted to fulfill the visual art req[uirement] but thought it would be fun to return to classical Indian dance,” Patel said. 

She deepened her working relationship with Nambiar through a dance intensive at Chowk Productions in Singapore this summer. At Chowk, she worked with the professor—and Nambiar’s own mentors— beyond the Davidson setting. Returning this semester, Patel sought something new beyond heading student dance organizations. The showcase was the perfect opportunity.

The process of putting on this show has not been simple. Competitive auditions and regular rehearsals have tested the dancers’ passion with mental and physical workouts. 

“We began the semester with concepts and ideas that Dr. Nambiar had in mind,” Patel said. “The image started out very apocalyptic in my mind — scorching sun, burnt grass, boundaries — [like] ‘Parable of the Sower’ and ‘Maze Runner.’ […] We are still finishing up the piece, but it is very cool to see how it all came together and how Dr. Nambiar pulled together all these ideas she had along with movement that we all workshopped together.”

Inspiration is found throughout the rehearsal room; the students themselves are pure dedication and devotion, Davis said.

Patel had a different perspective from Davis on the challenges of the production: “It’s hard to be creative at the end of the day, especially when I am working in between different dance forms.” 

But, similar to Davis, Patel believes that the most rewarding aspect of the entire process is working with talented artists like Nambiar and the other dancers and witnessing how individual ideas turn into magical collaboration.

Both the professors and students are anxious but still excited to display their talent and labor that will culminate in breathtaking pieces. 

“I think there are a lot of really beautiful movements we do, and I’m excited to see people’s reactions to it,” Patel said.