Rebecca Horrigan
Photo: Momentum Dance Company
By Rebecca Horrigan
Though not holiday-themed, the show with possibly the most cheer and general uplift I’ve seen this season was Momentum Dance Company’s (MDC) sixth annual concert, BLOOM. Performances were held on Dec. 17-18 at the intimate Center Stage Theater.
Watching dancers from ages 6 to 18 twirl, leap, flip, and groove to beautifully choreographed numbers with contagious joy couldn’t help but put a spring in my step as well.
Owner and director of MDC, Besty Woyach, over the past six years, has created a dance program for youth that feels rooted in love and support. This positive environment was evident in each performance, as you could hear Woyach and other dancers gleefully cheering on their team in the wings. The audience caught on as well, and the production felt almost interactive with exuberant shouting back and forth and enthusiastic energy surging through the air.
Pieces included jazz, hip hop, acrobatic, musical theater, and contemporary numbers choreographed by MDC’s local professional teaching staff. Carly Visger, Hannah Graham, Pablo Gatica, and owner/director Betsy Woyach made up the team of talented choreographers. It was evident that each choreographer had trained their dancers to not just do the moves but imbue each flick of the wrist with their own personality.
Highlights included “The Rain 2.0” an infectious mashup of hip hop jams beginning with Missy Elliott and choreographed by Woyach. The attitude and on point rhythm exuded by the group of quick-footed dancers had me bopping in my seat. In addition, “Station,” choreographed by Pablo Gatica and performed by Fallon Seder-Erickson, demonstrated the company’s range of influences and the magic that can happen when pairing an incredible dancer with contemporary choreography.
The team will be taking their 2019-2020 season’s dances on the road for competition in 2020. It’s evident that no matter what happens during competition, the joy emanating from the dancers as they do what they love most is a guaranteed win.
