The Terpsichore Dance Theater Company debuted in the Lee Hall Auditorium last night with its first performance, “Emotions Through Dance: Expressions of MSU Dancers.”Danielle Williams and Lauren White, co-founders and co-presidents of Terpsichore, created the group.
“We got our approval at the start of this semester,” Williams said. “I guess you could say it was founded the night of the faculty artists’ recital last semester, because that was the night the idea was conceived.”
The show included styles from jazz, ballet, lyrical and liturgical to theatrical, burlesque and hip hop.
It also included the East Indian dancing group Nach and tap performed by Dancing Feet Academy in starkville, Williams said.
“Terpsichore likes to offer opportunities to other groups to perform as well,” she said.
Faculty advisor Debby Funderburk said the group is all-female for now.
The dancers include Alexandria Brown, Alice Furr, April Wilson, Brittany Pernell, Danielle Williams, Erica Smith, Elodie Thelliez, Joy Bouder, Kari Anne Berthold, Kelly Naylor, Lauren Price, Lauren White and Megan Miles.
Furr is a sophomore electrical engineer who has been dancing since she was 4 years old.
“Dance is a part of my life I couldn’t live without,” Furr said.
She said the group is teaching her dedication, time management and choreography skills.
“I love all of the members. I’m glad everyone is so enjoyable,” she said. “It makes it easy to spend six days a week with this group. And of course I love the dancing.”
Williams and White met in a history of dance class, Funderburk said.
“[Art professor] Brent Funderburk encouraged Lauren and me to make it happen and Debby Funderburk offered to help us.” Williams said. “We had the support we needed to get it going so there were no excuses for not doing it anymore.”
She said they searched for interested people, held two interest sessions and stopped people they thought looked like dancers.
“I have to be honest, I didn’t think this performance was going to be possible this early in the game, but I’m really impressed at how much we’ve been able to accomplish in so little time,” Williams said.
The Office of the Provost, the College of Education and the department of kinesiology helped offset expenses for the first show, Funderburk said.