IU’s InMotion Dance Company took the IU Auditorium stage Saturday to present its annual spring FUSION showcase. This year marked 25 years of FUSION, and the showcase honored the alumni who helped shape the club.
INMO started over 20 years ago as a senior graduate project and has evolved over time, now featuring over 100 undergraduate dancers of all majors. Dance styles vary from jazz, hip hop, tap, contemporary and lyrical.
These styles created a diverse showcase, which left the audience stunned. There were 41 numbers in the show and each one was choreographed by a member of the company.
Before the show, I spoke with junior Lora Simakova, who serves as the assistant director of production. Simakova said she works alongside director Melissa Vanek and assistant Julia Mowrey to manage the logistics of INMO. Simakova has been dancing with IMNO for three years and has been in her position for two.
“One of our primary pieces of merch says, ‘to fall in love with dance again’ and that’s why a lot of us are here,” Simakova said. “To keep dancing and to have a fun outlet at the end of the day.”
Simakova said that sense of joy extends beyond just performances and rehearsals; it is intertwined into the club’s culture.
“INMO is not just about the quality of dance, it is also about the quality of people,” Simakova said. “We are a massive community of dancers, but also people that want to bring joy to others’ lives.”
That joy comes to life every time they come together and perform.
“I go on stage, and I have a big smile on my face because I want the audience to be happy and enjoy what we have produced,” Simakova said.
On the day of the show, family and friends arrived at the auditorium before the doors even opened. The night was rainy, yet the room was buzzing with excitement. The dancers mingled with their loved ones in the audience before the show began. You could tell that the dancers were immediately at ease before putting on the show.
Some of my favorite numbers included Billie Ellish’s “Happier Than Ever,” choreographed by INMO Director of Jazz Alyssa Murray, Chris Brown’s “Kiss Kiss,” choregraphed by Maggie Kearns and Eminem’s “Without Me,” choregraphed by INMO’s Director of Hip-Hop Kate Hodska. I also enjoyed a mashup of Britney Spears’s “Get Back” with Justin Timberlake and Madonna’s “4 Minutes,” which was choregraphed by Maddie Galivan.
“Happier Than Ever” was the perfect combination of lightness and angst. I loved that as an audience we were able to see the personality shift present in the song and in the staging. As the song progressed and the angst of the lyrics took center stage, the lights strobed, turning red as the moves changed from very fluid to very sharp.
“Kiss Kiss” and “Without Me” were absolute perfection. The hip-hop numbers made you want to get on stage with the dancers, whose movements seemed effortless. “Kiss Kiss” stood out with the stunts. Dancers were doing handsprings and aerials, and I saw one dancer do a handstand onto someone’s back. It was insane.
“Without Me” was a visual masterpiece, it looked like a Gap commercial was put on stage. Troye Sivan could come out any moment and fit right in. Hodska’s choreography was a standout throughout the showcase, each number was effortlessly cool, looking beyond authentic.
“Get Back” featured 20 dancers and was a feast for the eyes. Watching it was so satisfying, and the energy was there. Every dancer was perfectly in sync and blended dancing with a bit of acting. Each facial expression on the dancers’ faces showed boundless confidence. Personally, I can’t wait for INMO to post the performances on its YouTube channel, because whenever I have a bad day, this will be a video I go back to.
The show was over three hours, yet so worth it. Audience members were encouraged to scream as loud as they could for their dancer in support (and that is exactly what they did).
Roommates and IU seniors Kathleen Tobia and Georgia Smith came to support their friends on the team.
“I saw all of the hard work that all of the dancers put in,” Smith said, “It inspired me to dance even though I can’t.”
Tobia agreed. “It’s so evident how much love and passion these girls have for dance,” Tobia said. “It’s so infectious.”
The best part of INMO is the fact that anyone can try something out. They encourage anyone to try out regardless of dance experience. The dancers are separated into three teams but are still encouraged to collaborate with one another, and dancers have option to join a choreographer’s dance regardless of their team affiliation.
As a non-dancer, I watched the performance with the utmost respect. My friends and I could not comprehend how one of our friends could be in 11 numbers while remembering all the choreography and have the stamina for that. And she was absolutely perfect in every single one.
FUSION was more than just a showcase, but a celebration of all types of dance and the community that creates movement. No matter your relationship with dance, the energy was contagious. For those interested in INMO, go check it out. It is well worth your time.
