On a sold-out third show, dancers from the Class of 2026 came together for a bittersweet final piece of this semester’s dance show, “Freeform: The Architecture of Movement.” The piece, entitled “Our Last Dance,” mixed the feelings of celebration and joy with the bittersweet nature of the conclusion of the college journey. Choreographed by seniors Jenna Hagen, Anjelina Grisafe, Julianne Magistrado, Gin Mitchell and Natalia Rakviashvili, the piece was performed by seniors involved in Freeform and dance at Drew.
Outside of the senior specific piece, the Class of 2026 shined in both choreography and dancing. Choreographed by Andy Bentley (‘26), with dancers Finn Jackson (‘26) and Maria Quintiliana (‘28), “(For the Days I Stop Wanting a Body)” was inspired by and set to an excerpt of the poem “Tincture” by Andrea Gibson. After learning of Gibson’s recent passing due to ovarian cancer, Bentley wanted to “examine the notions Andrea wrote about through dance,” such as “how both the body and soul remember a human life” and “how we can find meaning in both joy and pain.”
Cecelia Lomanno’s (‘26) piece, performed by themself and Chloe Dudonis (‘27), “Un Ballerine,” was an exploration of the relationship between the “intensely binary world of ballet” and the feminine and androgynous body. The description on the dramaturgy board expanded on gender identity in dance, and how ballet especially has begun to adapt around that.
Seniors Jenna Hagen, Arianna Kozloski and Heather Zawadski performed “Welcome to the Funkiverse,” choreographed by Hagen, bringing the audience a futuristic, techno dance. “Filles Dorées” by Anjelina Grisafe, who performed it alongside Julianne Magistrado and Natalia Rakviashvili, delved into friendship and its importance to childhood development.
At the final show of their Drew career, audiences saw seniors dazzle with dance and choreographing skills, giving the entire Drew community a wonderful show to enjoy. Though the lights may have dimmed on the stage for the Class of 2026, the products of their talent remain, and will continue to contribute to Drew University.
Nathan Moldover is a first-year double majoring in political science and philosophy and minoring in law, justice, & society.
