Lights flicker on and off as each new face gets shown off with new shadows and lines, each displaying a different emotion.

The dance department’s fall show, Multiplicity, opened on Nov. 15 in Meyer Hall and ran through Nov. 17, showcasing multiple styles of dance through various “powerful” performances, according to digital media sophomore Natalie Macadar. Each piece contained a different message and techniques, such as the piece “Zassa,” featuring 25 girls dancing along to the sounds of tribal beats.  

The dictionary definition of multiplicity is “a large variety,” which inspires the show’s name. 

It encompasses all the different skills, expressions, and styles that fall under dance. 

“A lot of different students of all different cultures and nature can come together, work 

together to make a piece, and show it to others,” dance sophomore Byron Matysek said. 

Many dance parents worked for about 10 weeks creating costumes and 

perfecting minute details of the performances, from the ruffled shirts in the number “Vogue” to the flowing skirts in the senior piece “Solitude.”

“I love getting to see the kids every day and getting to know them—especially having a 

senior in the dance department. I love getting to spend this time with him,” said Paula Jaffe, mother of dance senior Ryan Jaffe and dance sophomore Emma Jaffe. “It feels very rewarding when I get to see the whole show on stage. It immediately makes all the hard work worth it.” 

The long nights of dress rehearsals, costume perfecting, and last minute tweaks all led 

up to three days of full shows. Meyer Hall filled with students and family members who gathered to see the work of the dance department. 

“It’s a great conglomeration of talent,” said Angela Prudenti, mother of dance senior Nina 

Miller. “I just can’t get over it. The degree of difficulty that’s demonstrated in the performances is just incredible. There’s so much energy behind the dancing.”

The difficulty of dances, the audition process, and being able to learn the choreography in 

a week takes time and commitment, ultimately leading to experience in the world of dance. 

“I feel like it’s going to prepare me for the real world audition-wise, and getting 

comfortable with having to adapt to what the choreographer wants,” dance sophomore Mason Evans said. “[The first show] is a little nerve wracking. It’s like the kickoff to the whole season: It’ll determine what the rest of the year will be shaped like.”