EU step and dance teams bring the moves to Pogue

The Edinboro Step and Dance Team put on their spring show in the Pogue Student Center Multipurpose Room on Saturday. The show featured performances by not only the Xclusive Step Team and Xplus Dance Team, but a few solo moments as well. The room was packed with students, as well as families and kids of all ages. Some crowd members came from as far as Rochester, New York and Athens, Ohio for the performance. 

The crowd was encouraged to “boost” throughout the show, which is yelling words of encouragement and essentially being a hype man for the performers. 

The show took turns, rotating through performances by Xplus and Xclusive.

Xplus is a dance company led by Zhanna Thompson and Daijah Taylor, the president and vice-president of the dance team. Other members include Melva Ali, Tayler Burke, Denasha Gomez, Drake Thornton, Hazell-Azzer Carpenter, Michaila DeVore, Samantha Hyatt, Ulalo Dzekedzeke, Cellyann Semidey, Lauryn Parks, Mackenzie Bracken, Tynashia Thomas and Caitlyn Garczewski. Different team members came out for various numbers and routines, all in coordinated outfits. Some highlights included a duo dancing to Beyonce’s “Flawless,” the whole pep-rally themed performance, as well as the Afrikan traditional dance segment led by Samuellar Opoku and Thompson. The solo performances were more in the contemporary vein of dance.

Xclusive is a step team, meaning that their performances include rhythmic stomping, clapping and snapping. They moved in rhythm with each other, with one’s snapping filling the space between the group’s stomping. Xclusive also coordinated with matching outfits featuring their stylish logo. 

The two hosts talked to the crowd between songs to keep the show running smoothly and even coordinated an impromptu dance-off. There were a total of five people chosen to go to the stage for the dance-off. Although the first two contenders, Breezy and Ashley, brought in some applause, the third contender, Shay, really brought down the house with her moves. With a performance like that, the following contender had a lot to live up to, and perhaps feeling intimidated, did a shy macarena. The final contender was Viktor, who also got the crowd going, so much so that there was a final dance-off between him and Shay. But there was almost no contest as Shay brought the heat again, going home the champ. 

The three young men who provided their DJ services and dance moves to the show were Nicholas Kelly, Teshawn Lewi and Isaiah Pritchard from Passion Eye Productions. They were contacted by Thompson to do the music for the show. 

The show closed to a standing ovation from much of the crowd as Thompson gave her thanks to everyone who attended and performed, saying, “It’s been a journey for all of us; this team has worked so hard.” 

Livia Homerski | ae.spectator@gmail.com

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