Every year students lead the charge in creating a dance showcase: Random with a Purpose (RWAP), which runs from Feb. 28 – Mar. 9. This year’s director, senior Emily Pflieger, hopes to shock audiences through a wide array of genres and styles that capture individual experiences of each choreographer and dancer.
Started in 1991, this annual performance showcases student talent beyond the stage. Ted Warburton, a professor of dance and head faculty involved with RWAP, says, “Random is always an audience favorite, and I expect folks will be energized and delighted by the quality of performances on display.”
This year’s theme The Calling was inspired by Pflieger’s personal journey in dance. She spent her teen years living in Carmel Valley, where the other girls she danced with always considered ballet to be a superior form of dance. Pflieger, however, prefers hip hop and focuses on choreography while aiming to inspire audiences.
After high school she took a year off and joined a dance company in Salinas named HomeGrown. “My dance directors inspired me by embodying their mission statement to foster growth and empowerment as a dancer.They taught me the value of dedication and how to create a positive environment for improvement, all while embracing both personal and collective individuality within our Dance CommUNITY.” says Pflieger. She explains that HomeGrown played a big part in shaping the dancer she is today. Pflieger describes herself as not the best dancer, but she finds it truly inspiring to be part of a dance community that shares the passion to dance.
Pflieger transferred into UC Santa Cruz her junior year as a Theater Arts Major and Dance Minor. She participated in last year’s RWAP dance showcase, which inspired her to envision ways to create a positive environment for dancers. Last year most of the pieces were contemporary, but Pflieger is using her role as the dance director to bring a greater variety of dance styles to this year’s showcase.
Along with being the dance director, Pflieger will also be performing and choreographing a hip-hop piece for this year’s RWAP. Her goal after graduating this spring is to gain her teaching certification to become a dance teacher at a highschool and also create her own dance company.
Tickets to Random with a Purpose: The Calling are free for students and pay what you like for general audiences. They can be purchased on Eventbrite.
More Information
Feb. 28 – Mar. 2 & Mar. 6 – 9
7:30 PM Thurs.– Sat. and 3:00 PM Sun. matinees
Open to the public
Tickets on sale on Eventbrite
Parking by permit, ParkMobile, or $5 cash/credit via the on-site parking attendantArts Lot #126 is the closest parking lot to the event