As the lights dimmed and the audience went silent, I could hear the excited whispers of dancers just behind the curtain. The stage, once lit up, turned into a colorful dreamscape occupied with blue-lit dancers against a deep red backdrop. Alessia Cara’s voice pierced the silence and the dancers moved in synchronicity; the performance had begun.

Since Cantico performed at this year’s Powerpuff football game, I felt eager to see Progressions, the school’s annual dance recital featuring performances from various dance groups and classes. Occurring from April 27 to April 29 in the Robert/Dubbs Auditorium, I was able to catch a seat on the last day along with the dozens of friends and family members supporting the performers.

Sitting down in the auditorium and scanning the program, my interest rose. With a variety of songs from “Back to Black” by Amy Winehouse to “New Magic Wand” by Tyler the Creator, I did not know what to expect. With a wide range of song choices and performance styles, Progressions delivered a dynamic experience that kept audience members engaged.

Starting off the night, the performance to “Listen Before I Go” by Billie Eilish, choreographed by Lucia Rosenblatt, drew me in. The dancers, who were dressed in ankle-length, flowing white skirts and crop tops, communicated the softness of Eilish’s voice effectively with their effortless movements. On the other hand, the dancers moved with intention, diving into a quick backbend when the beat dropped.

The highlight of the night was Cantico’s performance to a Rihanna medley, breathing new life into the audience. My favorite part of this performance was the performers’ tangible confidence. Even from a distance, the purposeful, powerful movements were energizing and fascinating. In addition to their fun choreography, their facial expressions added to the excitement of their performance. To embody Rihanna is to exude confidence, and Cantico did so successfully.

Later in the performances, senior Dina Naimark-Goldberg and junior Rena Branover’s performance of “ilomilo” by Billie Eilish was technically captivating. While the common techniques displayed throughout the night showed smoother movements and transitions, the duo’s performance showcased the uncanniness of the song. The sharpness of their dance moves felt as if two robotic dolls were dancing before us, which resulted in one of the loudest applauses of the night. If Eilish were present, she would have been proud.

A few of the most dazzling performances were toward the end of the night, including the advanced dance class’ performance of “NEW MAGIC WAND” by Tyler the Creator. With “NEW MAGIC WAND” composed of maniacal laughter, a radio-static adjacent bass and distorted vocals, I was curious to see how these dancers planned to embody the energy of this popular song. This performance was unlike any other Much of the movements seemed insect-like in nature, which captured the absurdity of the song. While the dancers had stoic facial expressions, to me this added to the performance. They were able to commit to the intensity of the music and their movements without breaking the mood.

Leaving the auditorium, I was blown away by the talent displayed by the dancers. Each performance felt like it could stand on its own, the dancers harnessing and interpreting the emotion of the song and magnifying it. From the confidence to the vulnerability of each dancer, Progressions proved to be a tour de force.