Dance Spring Show
Grier’s Dance Department brought down the house at the Spring Dance Performance on Saturday, April 2nd. The show featured fourteen numbers performed by Grier dancers of every level and genre, including ballet, jazz, hip-hop, modern, and contemporary.
Jocelyn “Joci” Hrzic, Director of Grier Dance Program, opened the show by expressing her pride and appreciation for the Grier dance students, supporters including Mrs. Borst and Mr. Beckel, and gave special recognition to the program’s senior and preprofessional dancers. Many of these stellar dancers received scholarships to summer dance programs such as Whirlwind Dance Summer Intensive, Motus Dance Summer Intensive, and Point Park University Summer Dance Intensive. Several seniors have received acceptances and scholarships to esteemed higher education dance programs, including Point Park University, Shenandoah University, Boston Conservatory, Slippery Rock University, Marymount Manhattan College, and more! In many cases, Director Joci stated, scouts and recruiters from these programs and colleges observed Grier dancers performing at events like the Grier Gala and were able to award on-the-spot scholarships as a result.
The performances included choreography by Grier's own Dance Director Jocelyn Hrzic, Dance Faculty member Danielle Bower, and dance instructor Nicole Harmon, as well as choreography by exceptional guest artists. The third number, Go Do, featured choreography by New York artist and founder of BARE Dance Company, Mike Esperanza. Director Jocelyn Hrzic said, proudly, that the highly capable Grier dancers learned Esperanza’s intricate choreography in only three days! Windber, Pennsylvania, native and Point Park University alum Joshua Manculich of Dance Works Chicago choreographed Forces, the fifth piece in the show during which dancers create striking visual geometry in their black and white costumes. Grier preprofessional dancers also worked with Daniel Padierna, Assistant Professor of Modern Dance at Shenandoah University on the tenth number, Take Care. At over nine and half minutes, Take Care is the longest piece in the show, and features stunning solos from Grier’s amazing dancers. The interest of these influential guest artists and the abundance of scholarship offers and program acceptances is a testament to the remarkable quality of the Grier Dance program.
Throughout the show, enraptured audience members may have held their breath or experienced goosebumps during some of the show’s most emotionally powerful pieces, and they may just as likely have whooped and clapped during the loud and lively hip-hop routine that included a mashup of 50 cent’s How We Do and DJ Kool’s Let Me Clear My Throat.
In addition to a full auditorium, Grier’s Mr. Bryan Beckel’s video broadcast team filmed and streamed the event live for remote viewers to enjoy. Livestream link. 2022 Grier Dance Spring Show
Program
- Future - Intermediate/Intermediate Advanced Ballet, choreography by Danielle Bower
- Strut - Beginner Jazz, choreography by Nicole Harmon
- Go Do - Preprofessional, choreographed by Mike Esperanza
- The Promise - Intermediate/Intermediate Advanced Modern, choreographed by Jocelyn Hrzic
- Forces - Preprofessional, choreography by Joshua Manculich
- Pas de Caractere - Intermediate Ballet, choreography by Jocelyn Hrzic
- Fix You - Beginner Contemporary, choreography by Nicole Harmon
- Crystals - Preprofessional Ballet, choreography by Danielle Bower
- How We Do - Hip Hop, choreography by Danielle Bower
- Take Care - Preprofessional, choreography by Daniel Padierna
- Nothing Else Matters - Intermediate Contemporary, choreography by Danielle Bower
- Petricor - Preprofessional Contemporary, choreography by Danielle Bower
- Keep Hope Alive - Intermediate/Intermediate Advanced Jazz, choreography by Jocelyn Hrzic
- Feroce - Preprofessional, choreography by Jocelyn Hrzic
Dancers recognized for winning scholarships and college acceptances.
Preprofessional Seniors
- Natalia – Received scholarships to Whirlwind & Motus Summer Dance Intensives, accepted to attend Villanova, Point Park, Slippery Rock, offered scholarships to Butler, U of Denver, & U of San Francisco
- Nova – Received scholarships to Whirlwind & Motus Summer Dance Intensives; accepted to Slippery Rock, offered scholarships to Shenandoah University, Point Park University, Marymount Manhattan College
- T’aja - Received scholarships to Paul Taylor and American Dance Festival Summer Intensive programs; accepted to Slippery Rock, offered scholarships to Drexel and George Mason.
- Grace - Received scholarships to Whirlwind & Koresh Summer Dance Intensives; accepted to Slippery Rock, offered scholarships to Shenandoah University, BCU, Marymount Manhattan College, and Boston Conservatory.
Summer Dance Program Scholarship Recipients
- Layla - Received scholarships to Whirlwind, Point Park, and American Dance Festival Summer Dance Intensives
- Camila - Received scholarships to Whirlwind, Motus, and Point Park Summer Dance Intensives
- Jillian - Received scholarships to Whirlwind, Motus, and Point Park Summer Dance Intensives
- Lexi - Received scholarship to Whirlwind Summer Dance Intensives
- Ava - Received scholarships to Whirlwind and Point Park Summer Dance Intensives and Motion Dance Convention 2023
- Kayla - Received scholarships to Whirlwind and Point Park Summer Dance Intensives
- Grace - Received scholarship to Whirlwind Summer Dance Intensive
- Gabby - Received scholarship to Motion Dance Convention 2023
- Jada - Received scholarship to Motion Dance Convention 2023
- Cami - Received scholarship Motus Summer Dance Intensive
- Ximena - Received scholarships to Point Park Summer Dance Intensive and Motion Dance Convention 2023
- Valeria - Received scholarship to Steps on Broadway
Other Senior Dancer Scholarships and Acceptances
- Simone – Accepted to American Dance Festival; received scholarships to University of the Arts, Conservatory of Paris, Montclair, and Howard University
Bravo to Grier Dance and to everyone involved in the production! What a wonderful and beautiful show of talent, dedication, and tremendous hard work!
Photography by RW
Grier School
2522 Grier School Rd. | P.O. Box 308; Birmingham, PA 16686-0308
Phone: 814-684-3000 | Fax: 814-684-2177
Phone: 814-684-3000 | Fax: 814-684-2177
