The definition of Catharsis is the process of releasing, and thereby providing relief from, strong or repressed emotions. There were multiple different dances that all had different meanings behind them. The dances ranged from domestic violence to finding who you are. The meaning behind the dances was very mental health-focused, reaching out to the struggle and awareness of mental health. There have been many positive reviews of this year’s performance. A student that attended the show stated “It was a good show overall but at some points the transitions were a bit confusing.” The choreographers wanted to express the real meaning of Catharsis. Meaning that the release of feelings can also be chaos and messy. Choreographer and dancer Trey Erny had this to say about dance ensemble “Dance Ensemble is full of hard-working students from all over campus who are all passionate about the art of dance. Our director, Salene Elish, has helped me grow as a person, leader, choreographer, and as a dancer. Her advice is extremely insightful and it’s amazing to see how passionate she is about dance every year. My favorite memory from Dance Ensemble is from last year.
I will always remember seeing the piece that I choreographed on the stage for the first time with costumes and lights.
It gave me chills and it was one of the most rewarding moments of my collegiate career.” The Valparaiso University Dance Ensemble is an amazing experience for students and staff to be able to express themselves through the movements of dance and take a break from the stress of school and work. This is a yearly event that will be back in 2025 so keep an eye out.
