The South Dakota State University dance program’s biggest event of the year is right around the corner. The team has been preparing for the spring dance concert since the beginning of the year.

The dance program puts on several performances throughout the year, such as the Christmas and Easter shows and other collaborative events. The theme of this year’s spring event is “The Art of Clarity, Communication and Community.”

This concert is a mix of student dancers, student choreographers, faculty and community members. There are 15 undergraduate dancers, two graduate dancers and 30 students from the partnership program.

It will feature all forms of dance from hip-hop to modern contemporary. There will be small ensemble numbers and large group numbers too.

Senior English major Amanda Cecil choreographs and performs in the show.

“The theme of this year’s show resonated with me because clarity, communication and community are things the dance classes here at SDSU have provided me,” she said.

SDSU dance has a partnership program with Expanding Harmony Dance Studio in Brookings. The owner and director of the dance studio, Melissa Hauschild-Mork, is also the dance program coordinator at SDSU.

“It is a great opportunity for students to get real-world teaching and choreography experiences,” Hauschild-Mork said.

It also gives the students at the dance studio the opportunity to be exposed to the SDSU dance program, she said.

Senior sociology major Katelyn Britzman helped choreograph the show and said she wanted to look at how movement can make a difference and express the show’s theme of community and collectivity.

“I believe that movement is more expressive than words,” she said.

Currently, they practice three to four hours a week, but as the performance gets closer practice time will increase.

To become a choreographer, applications are due at the end of the school year. Applications are then reviewed over the summer and choreographers are selected.

The audition process for the dancers for the spring concert is the first week of the school year. Once the dancers have been selected, rehearsals begin the following week and preparation lasts the remainder of the year leading up to the performance.

The spring showcase is at 7:30 p.m. March 17 and 2 p.m. March 18 in Doner Auditorium.

The event is free for SDSU students and $10 for community members.

“It is a real opportunity for people who don’t have a lot of concert experience to enjoy,” Hauschild-Mork said.