Furman University’s annual Dance Spectacular show will be performed once again. As per tradition, it will be held in the McAllister Auditorium and Furman students will receive Cultural Life Program credit as well as a student discount tickets for students—are five dollars instead of the eight dollar general admission.

For those who are new to Furman University or have never previously been able to attend the show, the Dance Spectacular is a night of various performances presented by our very own dance team, called the Furman Dance Company and led by director Katie Poteet.

This is also especially exciting for Poteet, as it is her first year with the team. There are currently twelve members to on the team, and they have all worked hard and fought for their spots. Months ago, current members had to endure auditions to even be considered for the team.

The Dance Spectacular will be sure to cater to everybody’s interests, featuring everything from ballet, jazz, contemporary, and even clogging. But the show isn’t just about a couple of dance routines. Poteet intends for this night to be a way of “exposing Furman to the many different genres and styles that most people are not aware of.”

Co-captain Shannon Kelly, a senior here at Furman, is one of the twelve dancers and has been with the team faithfully since her freshman year. She was impressively named co-captain her sophomore year.

“The team began my freshman year and I watched it build up over the years,” she said excitedly.

Kelly’s dancing career began long before she discovered the dance team however; she has been competing regularly since she was only eight years old. Similarly, the other co-captain, junior Maggie Austin, joined the team her freshman year. Austin said she has found joy in dancing since the young age of three.

“Dancing is more of an art to me than a sport,” she said.

Austin is no stranger to the hectic schedule of twice-weekly two-hour rehersal sessions as she performed in several similar events at her high school.

Having been with the team for several years now, both girls agree that this show is “one of Furman’s most popular CLP’s,” and this year will surely be no different. If you are interested in dance, or even just curious what these girls are all about, you can watch their performance on March 26, 2013 at 7:30 p.m.

In addition to the Dance Spectacular, the Dance Company also performs regularly at halftime shows for the women and men’s basketball teams and for the football team with the Paladin Regiment Marching Band, who in collaboration with the dance team will also be performing at the Dance Spectacular.