The Relevé showcase, hosted and sponsored by Columbia dance group Sabor, took place on Saturday night in C555 Lerner. The showcase was part of a three-day enrichment program created by Sabor in order to introduce the fine arts to young people throughout New York who are working to overcome by economic obstacles and language barriers.
The title of the event, Relevé, comes from a French term for a dance step and also means “to rise.” The step is a foot movement that elevates the body—and the goal of the showcase itself was to elevate the spirits of both the audience and the performers. Participants felt that Relevé was not only a talent showcase, but a learning experience for the performers as well.
As part of the program, Sabor members hosted visiting high school students, many of whom were recent immigrants, at Columbia for three days over the weekend. Sabor President Deysy Ordonez, CC ’10 explained that many of the students hail from the Dominican Republic, and are not yet proficient in English. In addition to the dance and talent showcase, the visitors attended college admissions and financial aid workshops as well.
The visiting students rehearsed for only a day and a half before putting on Saturday’s performance. In that short time, Sabor members taught them Cuban dance and helped them hone their other artistic abilities. The young women partnered up with the male members of Sabor as they took the audience on a “trip to Cuba,” in the words of emcee Michael Barrientos.
The performance showcased a mix of high school students and Sabor members, but multiple performances, including a hip-hop and a step-dancing number, were choreographed by the visiting students themselves. A rendition of Beyonce’s “Single Ladies” music video dance was a crowd favorite. A guest appearance by Dhoom, Columbia’s South Asian dance group, kept the energy especially high.
Relevé also gave performers a chance to showcase their other talents—musical, literary, and theatrical. The walls were lined with student paintings.
With the exception of some technical difficulties that hampered transitions, Relevé was very well put together. The audience cheered throughout, and the slight informality of the performance setting made it a much more personal experience for the students.
Sabor should be commended for putting on a show that was not only entertaining, but also an inspiration to all those seeking to make a difference in their community.
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