The University of Southern Mississippi Department of Dance welcomed back students with a concert by Hub Dance Collective, a group of professional dancers from all around the Hattiesburg area, including professors from the dance department.

“In the Groove” included dances retrieved from the group’s summer collection presented at Festival South.

“Hub Dance Collective is comprised of primarily dance faculty,” said Kelly Ferris Lester, associate professor of dance.

“We created it as a way to explore our art outside of our students so that we can share our work in a professional way and keep our artistry alive.”

The audience was largely comprised of theater and dance students.

“I think when they see us up there as professionals it helps them know that this is our passion, this is our love, and it gives them something to look up to,” Lester said.

A prerecorded explanation of the routines rolled before each of the five performances, to help the audience achieve a deeper understanding of each piece.

“I really related to Kelly Ferris Lester’s ‘In Her Clothes’ because it was really about playing different roles in life,” said Whitney Nabors, a senior dance performance and choreography major.

“That (is) something I can really relate to – being a student, being a dancer, being a friend, being a human and an artist. I

think that’s something that really came through clearly.”

Entitled “In the Groove,” the show’s purpose was to motivate dance students to push themselves further in the upcoming school year.

Many students affirmed the show’s purpose, saying it provided a dose of inspiration.

“I think it was a great way to start off the school year (and) get us back in the groove.” – Nabors

“I’m moving up in my dance courses, and the technique is starting to get harder,” said Zakiya Bookert, a senior dance minor. “It’s more demanding not just physically, but mentally.”

The showcase was not exclusively for dance students. People from all over the Hattiesburg area also enjoyedthe event.
“Tonight’s performance was dynamic, unexpected,” Hattiesburg resident Kenmekia Stanton said. “It was moving in so many ways: emotionally, mentally, physically. I felt every piece.”

Whether the performance motivated students or simply entertained them, the Hub Dance Collective performed a show that brought the crowd to its feet, ending the night with a standing ovation.

Hub Dance Collective was formed in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, for the purpose of celebrating modern dance and bringing dancers’ talents to south Mississippi.

For more information, visit their website at www.hubdancecollective.com, or find them on Facebook.