Eight Alumnae Return to Perform in Spring Dance Concert

The love of dance and their alma mater brought eight alumnae back to campus in March to choreograph a piece to perform in the dance program’s spring concert. Alison Bauer ’07, Natale Cabrera ’97, Jaden Daher ’23, Margaret Davis ’17, Caroline Kappel ’97, Elisabeth Lasecki ’21, Elyse Paul ’20, and Elizabeth Quaye ’17 joined on campus for an intensive weekend to relive their undergraduate days as dance minors in the studio and work together to choreograph and learn a piece to perform in April.

Bauer, Kappel, and Paul volunteered to serve as co-choreographers for the piece and led their fellow alumnae in a joyous movement that embodied their memories and experiences as dancers at Saint Mary’s. The program’s spring concert theme is “Splendidly Woven,” which inspired the alumnae, though different class years, to connect and weave their experiences at Saint Mary’s into one unitive dance. “I thoroughly enjoy the collaboration it takes to form a dance piece,” Bauer said. “The dance came together fluidly, quickly, and naturally. We worked well as a team, coming from different class years, backgrounds, and abilities. I am excited to share the stage with these fellow alumnae.”

The eight performers collaborated in the studio over a three-day intensive weekend to choreograph a piece that would be performed a month later. The music, an instrumental cover of “Forever Young,” reminds these alumnae that their dance experience at Saint Mary’s does not end after graduation. Many of the alumnae participating in the performance still take dance classes, teach, or choreograph themselves. An opportunity to perform on the O’Laughlin Auditorium stage again was exciting for all eight.

“I came back because I wanted to be more active this year and take advantage of these unique opportunities,” Quaye said. “Dancing at Saint Mary's as an undergraduate unintentionally sparked a love of dancing I hadn't explored prior; I look forward to making dance a more consistent part of my life when possible. The call for dance alumnae came along at just the right time.” The intensive weekend doubled as a reunion for the alumnae to reconnect with friends, professors, and the Saint Mary’s campus and recall and share their favorite memories as dance minors with one another. 

The alumnae will come together again on Thursday, April 25 to prepare for the performance and share the stage with current dance minors. Bauer and the other seven hope to connect with current students who share their Saint Mary’s sisterly bond through dance. “My advice to current students is to enjoy every minute of your experiences on campus, as once you leave the dance program and pursue your professional career, you may find it more difficult to find time to perform on stage,” Bauer said. “You can take the dancer out of the dance, but you cannot take the dance out of the dancer. I’m thankful that Saint Mary’s welcomes us back to campus and allows us to continue to share our passion with the community, current students, and each other. That is what bonds us together.”

April 25, 2024