On the evening of April 27, Moore Theatre was filled with vibrant energy as dancers from dance teams all over DePauw took the stage during the highly anticipated 2024 Art Walk Dance Showcase. As one of the signatures of the Art Walk series, the show presented a dynamic of choreography that sparked fire within the audience. From the energetic rhythms of K-Pop songs to the graceful movements of a traditional Chinese sword dance, the showcase featured a diverse range of performances that kept the audience on the edge of their chairs asking, ‘What’s next?’
The Elite Precizion Step Team brought their synchronized step dance to the showcase. The team incorporated basketball dribbling in the performances, which hyped up the fans as dancers performed tricks like cartwheeling. Matching the high energy of Elite Precizion, B4U led attendees on a journey through different eras of K-pop music, performed by each member of the team. Bubbly songs invigorated K-pop fans in the audience as many were singing along to every lyric of each song.
Charlotte Zhao ‘26 and Madhurima Roy Chowdhury ‘26 were the highlight solo dancers of the night. The two offered a glimpse into traditional dance. Chowdhury performed nearly ten minutes of a classical South Indian Bharatnatyam dance, while Zhao showcased her talent with the Chinese sword and silk dance. Both performers wore beautiful traditional costumes.
Zhao recalled her performance for the Art Walk showcase. “It brings me great joy to once again perform at the Artwalk on behalf of DePauw China Connection,” she said, in appreciation of friends who came and showed support. “I am pleasantly surprised by the enthusiastic response from many friends toward this ancient art. Beyond the technical skills, my aim is to imbue the performance with a mysterious and energetic vibe, conveyed through my smiles on stage. I am excited to see my efforts rewarded!”
La Fuerza Latina lit up the stage with their upbeat performances representing bachata and salsa dances, including a piece that offered a collaboration between two dancers, Adrian Yanez ‘24 and Emily Perez ‘25. The melodies were so stimulating that many in the audience wanted to dance with them. Yanez and Perez did a spectacular job in their duo, leaving a lasting impression on the audience in their last performance at DePauw as graduating students.
Last but not least, X-Cell, DePauw's hip-hop dance group, ended the show on a dazzling note. As they took the audience through the eras of hip-hop in music and fashion, the members performed different songs with dance moves signature for that era. Each movement was infused with energy and precision, complemented by great outfits changing throughout the event. At the end of the showcase, X-Cell members paid tribute to their graduating president, Kristen Birkenhoff ‘24.
Vi Pham ‘27 believes that the considerable amount of effort that he and the members of X-Cell spent perfecting the performance paid off. “It felt unreal, [it] was a challenge for me personally to balance between practice schedule and work-life. But now looking back at it, it was absolutely one of the most rewarding times of this semester.”
The Art Walk Dance Showcase proved to be one of the best events of the Art Walk series, drawing in a crowd of students and community members. With many individual showcases from dance teams on the horizon, Art Walk proved to be a meaningful series of events that successfully celebrated various forms of arts present on DePauw’s campus. Several dance teams’ individual showcases are planned out for the rest of the school year, so anyone who is interested should keep an eye out for these performances!