Faculty Advisor - Drew Schmidt

Producer - Madison Follett

Alumni Producer - Emily Loveland Query

Stage Managers - Jessica Schulmeister, Abigail Bram, & Princess Bola-Lawal

Box Office Managers - Elizabeth Zeutenhorst & MacKenzie Russell

Head Lighting Designer - Drew Schmidt

Drew’s Workstudy and Friends

Juleah Brinks
Rhea Cutler

by: Pritam, Vishal Dadlani, Dominique Cerejo and Asif Ali Baig

Choreographers:
Amber Johnson
Christine Ann Roy

Dance Style:
Bollywood

Lighting Designer:
Châu Lê

Dancers:
Jill Black
Megan Cole
Madison Follett
Sophia Holt
Amelia Holt
Amber Johnson
Alexia Katsma
Emily Loveland Query
Alayna Moser
Jennifer Parsons
Kait Raak
Amanda Rottman
Brittany Shields
Amy Vanden Hull
Ashley Veurink
Eryn Weber

Director’s Note:
Dance has a way of bringing people together, and this Bollywood piece to “Dhoom Again” is a celebration of just that – stories, friendships, and cultures merging in the joy of movement. This dance was first created in 2011 by my dear friend, Christine Roy, and me to blend dance team hip-hop and beautiful Bollywood style, reflecting the connection we found through dance. Now, as we take the stage, we invite you to join in that celebration – to feel the rhythm, the energy, and the pure excitement of coming together through movement. Let’s Dhoom again!

by: NF

Choreographer:
Kyra Visser

Dance Style:
Hip-Hop

Lighting Designer:
Melissa Thompson

Dancers:
Courtney Haahr
Simon Maggert
Emma Schmillen
Kaylee Thorson
Kyra Visser

Director’s Note:
I have been listening to NF for a long time and have always wanted to dance to one of his songs. “The Search” has a beat that’s easy to vibe to as well as relatable lyrics that give a slight glimpse into the chaos inside Nate’s head, which this dance attempts to capture.

by: My Chemical Romance

Choreographer:
Beth Tweedt

Dance Style:
Jazz

Lighting Designer:
Wyatt Waage

Dancers:
Rhea Cutler
Frances DeArmond
Sarah Leavitt
Regina Seaman
Laura Fischer
Heather Sidey
Skylar Tumbleson
Beth Tweedt
Noel Wotherspoon

Director’s Note:
“Welcome to the Black Parade” is a jazz routine that was originally choreographed for RUSH in 2008. I wanted to bring that RUSH experience back to a new audience so you can feel the same sense of community that RUSH has always been all about. There is no better way to bid farewell to RUSH than with a performance about the importance of memories. This dance packs in a ton of movement, energy, and EMO-tion! Carry on!

by: FOR KING + COUNTRY

Choreographers:
Maggie McGuire
Sherry Lang
John Menning

Lighting Designer:
Melissa Thompson

Dancers:
Ashley Harr
Melanie McDaniel
Ailee Moquist
Sipho Mzyece
Spencer Ragen
Greg Rehberg
Ashley Robertson
Alyssa Schmidt
Emily Vos

Director’s Note:
There is so much we can learn from one another. We will sometimes struggle to understand and relate to each other and having a disability can make things even more complicated and difficult. Yes, you don’t know what it’s like to be me and I don’t know what it’s like to be you, but by the grace of God, we can perhaps better understand one another’s unique story and see into each other’s heart and relate.

by: Celtic Woman

Choreographer:
MacKenzie Russell

Dance Style:
Pointe

Lighting Designer:
Melissa Thompson

Dancers:
MacKenzie Russell
Kyra Visser

Director’s Note:
This is a very non-traditional pointe dance that is meant to have a fun, folk-dance quality to it. “Téir Abhaile Riú” is a song I have wanted to choreograph a dance to for several years but never had the opportunity until now. The song itself has such a dance-like quality to it that makes it hard to sit still. I chose the style of Pointe specifically because I love bending the rules of traditional dance styles and blending them with unexpected music choices. I find that it creates truly beautiful pieces of art.

by: Lauren Daigle

Choreographer:
Krista Schaefer

Dance Style:
Jazz

Lighting Designer:
Drew Schmidt

Dancers:
Noelle Altman
Jessica Bower
Carissa Cowles
Hannah Hofer
Heather Kirkeby
Ashley Krosschell
Caitlin Li (Hagerty)
Karla Lundell
Abby McCubbin
Hannah Myers
Lizzy Rice-Huyser
Krista Schaefer
Logan Wright

Director’s Note:
For RUSH Finale, I wanted to create a meaningful dance to illustrate how life has ebbed and flowed since graduating from Northwestern. Life is full of mountains and valleys; through it all I have learned to lean on Christ. “Look Up Child” represents the breath of fresh air God gives when you hit rock bottom AND the sunshine He places on your face to accentuate a season of joyful living. There’s no better way to express this than through the love and joy of dancing. We need God through it all, so “look up.”

By: Sub Urban

Choreographer:
Natalie Hoffman

Dance Style:
Contemporary

Lighting Designer:
Annabell Christensen

Dancers:
Dylann Brown
Natalie Hoffman

Director’s Note:
This dance tells the story of a mischievous fictional creature based on Irish and Norwegian folklore and a girl named Aoife. The creature lures children away and turns the children into living dolls that can only come to life when the creature says they can. Aoife is a girl who wandered into the woods too far and is now a doll under the control of the creature. The creature controls Aoife on and off for years until it finally grows bored and frees her from her doll state.

by: Benny Goodman

Choreographer:
MacKenzie Russell

Dance Style:
Swing

Lighting Designer:
Châu Lê

Dancers:
Abby Bram
Mia Kellenberger
Benjamin Lundblad
Simon Maggert
Andrew Reginald
MacKenzie Russell
Ava Schmitz
Zach Van Zee
Thomas Vance
Kyra Visser

Director’s Note:
This dance is a 1950s-inspired swing/partner dance. It is meant to be super fun, playful and lighthearted. The idea for the dance started as a 1 a.m. “hear me out” that grew into a reality.

by: The Greatest Showman Ensemble

Choreographers:
Melissa Thompson
Annabell Christenson

Dance Style:
Musical Theatre

Lighting Designer:
Jack MacGregor

Dancers:
Annabell Christensen
Melissa Thompson

Director’s Note:
“The Other Side” is an upbeat musical number from Disney’s The Greatest Showman that depicts a lively business exchange. We were attracted to this song because of its expressive depiction of the two characters. We hope the audience appreciates the energetic give-and-take style throughout the dance.

by: Original Broadway Cast of Mean Girls

Choreographer:
Noel Wotherspoon

Dance Style:
Afro Jazz

Lighting Designer:
Drew Schmidt

Dancers:
Megan Cole
Kayla Kauffman
Noel Wotherspoon
Logan Wright

Director’s Note:
I recently directed and choreographed Mean Girls and this song is my favorite. Revamping this number for this unique RUSH Finale made sense for me. Within the musical, it was more character driven, and done with a cast of 24, so not 100% translatable. Dancers in the version you will see are not playing specific characters, but portraying a broader theme of hunter vs prey and how those who relish power dominate the weak. When I choreograph musicals I let the style of the song influence the style of dance whether it be Samba, Lyrical, Tutting or Traditional Musical Theatre. In this case I was heavily influenced by early 2000’s Pop Jazz, modern Jazz Funk and Afro Jazz and consider this a fusion.

by: Macklemore and Ryan Lewis

Choreographer:
Kyra Visser

Dance Style:
Tap

Lighting Designer:
Tim Giacobbe

Dancers:
Courtney Haahr
Kaylee Thorson
Kyra Visser

Director’s Note:
I saw a tap dance to this song a few years ago, loved it, and have wanted to choreograph a dance to this song since. It’s a very fast and upbeat routine consisting of both simple and intricate tap steps, complicated rhythms, and a little bit of sass.

by: Stray Kids

Choreographer:
Emily Espinoza

Dance Style:
K-pop

Lighting Designer:
Melissa Thompson

Dancers:
Emily Espinoza
Elena Lee
Simon Maggert
Ruthie Mattson
Lexi Squier
Ana Uscanga
Ruthie Zimmerman

Director’s Note:
I chose this dance because of the upbeat, grungy nature of the song. It has a fun beat and bounce to it that you can’t help but pop, lock, and drop to. Of course, with a name like “CIRCUS,” you are obviously in for a good time. Audiences can expect circus-esque patterns of diamonds, oranges, and reds agains blacks and blues. I would like to welcome you all to our silly, eccentric, “CIRCUS.”

by: Klergy, Valerie Brossard

Choreographer:
Ava Schmitz

Dance Style:
Contemporary

Lighting Designer:
Drew Schmidt

Dancers:
Juleah Brinks
Sage DeWitt
Jaylee Kamerman
Rae Outland
Ava Schmitz
Kaylee Thorson
Kyra Visser

Director’s Note:
“Start a War” is a song about history repeating itself and conflict throughout society, but also about internal conflict with personal desires and adversities. I chose this song because the lyrics are so meaningful and have a special chokehold on my heart, and the music itself is so dynamically beautiful that I couldn’t pass on one last opportunity to explore my creative freedom through the artform I so deeply cherish. I hope that the audience is drawn into the intensity and depth of hatred and love throughout the performance and leaves NWC’s finale RUSH experience wallowing in mystery and emotion.

By: Rauw Alejandro

Choreographer:
Ashley Montes

Dance Style:
Reggaeton

Lighting Designer:
Sophia Fischer

Dancers:
Julia Boller
Maelin Brick
Nathan Jensen
Ashlyn Jensen
Jessica McCubbin
Abbie Mellgren
Ashley Montes
Madison Schultz
Ainya Sullivan

Director’s Note:
When you hear the song, you will get immersed into the world of reggaeton and get a first-hand taste of what the Latin American culture has to share with the world. The overall goal was to create not only an experience, but to get people to dance in their seats a bit, as they listen to the song and watch the choreography. There is a motto our group has that we live by: “El perreo nunca para (the dancing never stops), we do it for fun, we do it for the experience, we lift each other up, and we do it as a family.” I believe that everyone deserves a chance to experience something new, even those whose first time it was dancing to this style of music.

by: ATEEZ

Choreographer:
Frances DeArmond

Dance Style:
Lyrical

Lighting Designer:
Wyatt Waage

Dancers:
Frances DeArmond
Skylar Tumbleson

Director’s Note:
This song is one of my top three favorite songs from this K-pop group, and I’ve wanted to do a lyrical dance like this for a long time! Those who have been to RUSH in the past few years may be surprised that this isn’t a cover, or hip-hop. I’m always excited to show yet another side of K-pop, and a chance to get back to my dance roots with some original choreography. This song is from the point of view of someone who sees a loved one struggling, and says, “I’m here for you. If you let me, I can just be here for you.” My favorite lyrics are the bridge and final chorus, which have been translated here for you: Leave your cold hands to me, I’ll never let go of it. Don’t worry, now you can lean on my embrace, and rest. Until cold snowflakes wither and fall (I wanna stay for you), and I’ll be with you.” Thank you to my NW and RUSH family for staying with me through my winter and giving me the strength to bloom into a spring flower!

by: Twenty One Pilots

Choreographers:
Melissa Thompson
Annabell Christensen

Dance Style:
Hip-Hop

Lighting Designer:
Sophia Fischer

Dancers:
Annabell Christensen
Jack MacGregor
MacKenzie Russell
Lexi Squier
Melissa Thompson
Kaylee Thorson

Director’s Note:
“Stressed Out” is an alternative hip-hop style song that deals with the pressure adulthood puts on childhood aspirations. We chose this song largely because of its relevance to a college-aged audience that might be experiencing a similar situation. Through this dance we hope to take the audience on the hazardous journey into adulthood and invite them to reflect on their own journey and sacrifices.

by: Fall Out Boy

Choreographer:
Rae Outland

Dance Style:
Aerial Silks

Lighting Designer:
Tim Giacobbe

Dancer:
Rae Outland

Director’s Note:
Aerial silks in general is a dynamic and high-intensity activity and this routine is no exception. With a combination of floor work, flips, spins, poses, highly technical skills, and drops, this routine is sure to keep you on the edge of your seat. I chose to do this song because I know I wanted high energy to keep the excitement up, and a few of the lyrics seem to work perfectly with aerial. I hope the lyrics “You will remember me for centuries” rings true, and I hope “just one mistake is all it will take” does NOT ring true for obvious reasons. This song brings so much adrenaline to the surface and electrifies the room, as I hope to do the same with my performance.  

Songs: 24k Magic, Perm, That’s What I Like, Versace on the Floor, Finesse, Uptown Funk

by: Bruno Mars

Choreographer:
Tony Wilder

Dance Style:
Hip-Hop

Lighting Designer:
Châu Lê

Dancers:
Noelle Altman
Frances DeArmond
Laura Fischer
Miles Fletcher
Madison Follett
Paige Ginger
Jordan Hill
Hannah Hofer
Sophia Holt
Amber Johnson
Kayla Kauffman
Heather Kirkeby
Ashley Krosschell
Emily Kubbe
Sarah Leavitt
Emily Loveland Query
Karla Lundell
Jenna Mares
Abby McCubbin
Alayna Moser
Jennifer Parsons
Emily Pirrie
Kait Raak
Krista Schaefer
Tracey Schirmer
Regina Seaman
Marisa, Springman
Lee Stover
Allison Wheeler
Natalie Wheeler
Tony Wilder
Noel Wotherspoon

Director’s Note:
The goal behind this piece was to simply have fun and show that dance is for everyone! That was the philosophy behind RUSH, and I wanted to honor that in this dance. We have dancers from various experience levels and backgrounds, and we are all coming together to celebrate our love for dance and specifically this amazing show! RUSH has provided us with so many fond memories and we hope this will be a fun memory for the audience as well!