Seton Hill hosts intensive program on creative, business sides of dance

Shirley McMarlin
Sunday, July 23, 2023 12:01 a.m. | Sunday, July 23, 2023 12:01 a.m.

Courtesy of Barry Reeger/Seton Hill University

Los Angeles-based dancer and choreographer Cedric Botelho, who has worked with artists such as Flo-Rida, T-Pain, Will Smith and the Black Eyed Peas, leads a Commercial Hip Hop class during the inaugural Commercial Dance Intensive at Seton Hill University’s Arts Center in downtown Greensburg on July 15, 2023.

Courtesy of Barry Reeger/Seton Hill University

Dancers practice in instructor Heather Goetz-Carpenter’s Precision Jazz class during the inaugural Commercial Dance Intensive at Seton Hill University’s Arts Center in downtown Greensburg on July 15, 2023. Goetz-Carpenter is a former Radio City Rockette with extensive performance and teaching credits.

Courtesy of Barry Reeger/Seton Hill University

Shelby Seybert (center in red), 17, of New Kensington, a rising senior at Valley High School, participates in the Precision Jazz class during the inaugural Commercial Dance Intensive at Seton Hill University’s Arts Center in downtown Greensburg on July 15.

Courtesy of Barry Reeger/Seton Hill University

Seton Hill University adjunct professor of dance Joe Nickel provides instruction in a Jazz Funk Grooves class during the inaugural Commercial Dance Intensive at Seton Hill University’s Arts Center in downtown Greensburg on July 15. The founder of Thrive Dance Experience, Nickel’s creative credits include Netflix, ABC Family and Disney.

Courtesy of Barry Reeger/Seton Hill University

From left: Seton Hill University juniors Kendra Shoffstall of Somerset and Grace Moore of Cape May, N.J., with Makayla Morocco of Somerset, a May Seton Hill graduate, participate in the Jazz Funk Grooves class during the inaugural Commercial Dance Intensive at Seton Hill’s Arts Center in downtown Greensburg on July 15.

About 20 dancers learned about both the creative and business sides of the art during the inaugural Commercial Dance Intensive, held July 15 in the Seton Hill University Arts Center in downtown Greensburg.

Presented by the Seton Hill Department of Dance, the high-energy dance experience focused on exploring style and performance value as it pertains to executing choreography for productions such as music videos, concerts, films, musical theater, advertisements, television shows or other entertainment or promotional experiences.

The classes had a concentration on precision, performance, storytelling and dancing to entertain.

Participants included high school, college and professional dancers from Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Ohio and Kentucky, learning from both Seton Hill faculty and industry professionals with a broad range of experience.

In addition to dance classes, student dancers gained insight into the audition process through a mock audition.