Shannon Gierl

For most young women, college is undoubtedly a pivotal time period, charged with new challenges, development, self-discovery, and self-acceptance. For the young women of Dance Theatre, their time spent in college is enriched from every angle due to their commitment and devotion to a group of peers and art form that is much more than the sum of its parts. I was fortunate enough to be one of these women, and saw my experience in undergrad marked at every turn by the relationships, movement, and creative energy that is Dance Theatre. I feel so blessed to have been given the opportunity to turn what was a relatively-new love of dance – stemming from a pervasive gymnastics background – into the deep appreciation and respect for the modern genre I felt upon graduating. The rich history of the company that is steeped in tradition creates a sense for each dancer that she or he is part of something greater, something special. It is this feeling that surfaces every time I hear a song a friend choreographed a piece to, or walk the streets of NYC, or get to catch up with a fellow DTer in life after graduation. And it makes me happy to think that every year, more and more young dancers get to enter this tightly woven circle and experience for themselves the magic of Dance Theatre.