The 2015 Funtastic Dance Follies, Bemidji State University’s campus dance show, kicks off its 69th annual performance on April 23.<\/p>\n
The follies, held in the BSU Gymnasium of the Gillett Recreation-Fitness Center, will hold performances at 7 p.m. April 23-25, with a 2 p.m. matinee on April 25.<\/p>\n
The follies are organized and performed by Bemidji State students with Suzy Langhout, an adjunct faculty member in the Department of Human Performance, Sport & Health, serving as director and Jon Langhout performing technical director duties.<\/p>\n
The Funtastic Dance Follies began in 1945 as a modern dance recital for a college physical education course, a Christmas performance of “The Nutcracker Suite.” Since then, the follies have become an annual tradition. The production is completely student-run, from dancing, choreography, spotlight operation, video recording and staging of the production.<\/p>\n
Luke Alexander, a BSU sophomore majoring in sport management, joined the Swing Dance Club in 2014. He will be performing in the Dance Follies for the second time this year.<\/p>\n
“There are long hours of practice, but it truly is the best thing about Dance Follies because you meet so many new people,” Alexander said. “Just seeing the audience for every show makes you that much more excited to go out and perform.”<\/p>\n
When Alexander joined the Swing Dance Club he didn’t know that it was associated with the Dance Follies performance.<\/p>\n
“I just went with the flow,” he says, “and now this will be my second year in dance follies and it is ‘Funtastic.'”<\/p>\n
Tickets to the Funtastic Dance Follies are $5 for the general public; $3 for senior citizens and students. BSU students are admitted free with a valid ID. Advance tickets are on sale at the physical education desk at the Gillett Recreation-Fitness Center. Tickets also will be available at the door.<\/p>\n