When I performed in my first Broadway show, I was amazed by the detail in the costumes. In theatre, we talk about the “20-foot rule,” anything farther than 20 feet from the audience does not need fine detail because it will not be seen.
Yet in this production, there were intricate elements the audience would never consciously notice. It was in that moment that it clicked, details deepen communication. Even when they are not obvious, they build a cumulative effect that shapes how an audience feels.
Much of it operates below conscious awareness, yet audiences still feel its impact. In an ever-evolving world of theatre, dancers are training into these details deeper than ever.
Dance has always evolved alongside the world around it. At its core, it is communication; an embodied way of expressing what words often cannot. For example, the Department of Theatre’s Dance Company performs “Stanza” a dance concert inspired by poetry. It will be held in Wheelwright Auditorium on May 1 at 7:30 p.m. and May 2 at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
For today’s students, that evolution brings rising expectations, and training is expanding in response. It is not just about cleaner technique or higher kicks; it is about understanding how movement communicates, why it matters and whose lineage it comes from.
If you pass a dance class in the Edwards College, you might hear “point your toes” or the familiar “one more time,” which is never just one more time! You might also see students watching footage, listening to lectures or engaging in discussion. What you do not see are the hours of research, collaboration, cross-training and interdisciplinary work happening beyond the studio.
Students train in jazz, ballet, tap, contemporary and more; the goal is not just versatility, but fluency. Each style carries its own history, context and perspective. When dancers understand that their movement gains texture, intention and authenticity, it becomes something audiences do not just see, but feel.
Awareness of historical lineage is especially important as the industry grapples with cultural appropriation. Styles such as jazz, tap and hip-hop come from Black cultural traditions that have not always been fully credited.
Today’s dancers are called not only to perform these styles, but to engage their origins with respect and responsibility. As a critically conscious — which relates to Paulo Friere’s conscientização — dancer embodying these layers of evolution, the work is fulfilling, challenging, and empowering.
In the end, what makes a performance powerful is not only what is visible, but everything behind it. This is where dance becomes more than execution. It becomes expression with purpose, reaching past the “20-foot rule,” with every layer resonating long after the curtain falls.
