Northwestern State University of Louisiana’s Dance Company, in collaboration with Friends of Louisiana Sports and History, presented the tenth iteration of “Modern in Motion ” at the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame from Oct. 13 to Oct. 16.

“Modern in Motion” is a site-specific dance performance with locations such as the Cane River Brewery and the American Cemetery hosting it in the past.

“Modern in Motion” is an example of the Dear School of Creative and Performing Arts Department of Theater and Dance collaborations and wide outreach to the community.

Using local non-traditional venues, the Dance Company encourages students to visit locations they may not ordinarily visit and explore their city like a local.

Kerrie Spillman, senior dance major, has said that her favorite part of “Modern in Motion” is the sense of intimacy and connection that dancers don’t often get with traditional stage performances.

“My favorite part of Modern in Motion is that it’s more interactive than a traditional stage performance. It really gives us the chance to connect with the audience,” Spillman said.

An aspect I particularly enjoyed was the interaction with the venue’s architecture in highly creative ways. For example, dancers slid down the arched walls of the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame as though they were on a playground slide.

I also enjoyed that the performance kept the audience on their toes. Having a sense of unpredictability at play meant that a dancer could be anywhere at any time, so the audience didn’t get complacent or lose focus on the performers.

Kirsten Riehl, assistant professor of dance, stated that she hoped that the audience enjoyed the immersive experience and that they took away something meaningful to them.

“Each Modern in Motion is unique because of the different performance spaces and architecture,” Riehl said.

Another aspect of the performance that I quite enjoyed was the ensemble work between Dance Company members. The trust in each other was evident, especially when lifts were being executed.

The ensemble atmosphere was sophomore dance major Makynli Delcambre’s favorite part of “Modern in Motion”.

“It’s a really good chance to spend time with other dancers and bond with them outside the classroom,” Delcambre said.

“Modern in Motion” was well-executed, beautiful and a unique opportunity for the audience to experience a dance performance in a non-traditional setting.