Song-and-dance show features pop music

Jan. 21, 2020 LA GRANDE, Ore. – After just 85 hours of rehearsal time, EOU’s Chamber Choir will have perfected its song-and-dance performance, “Opposites Attract” for the show’s opening on Jan. 31.

Students are set to perform at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 31, and at 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 1 in McKenzie Theater.

“Opposites Attract,” a fast-paced and up-tempo concert, features songs in juxtaposition. Listen to “Highway to Hell” followed immediately by “Stairway to Heaven.” Other duos pair up the young and old, country and city, or fast and slow.

Student singers also perform a range of dance styles throughout the show, including break dancing, swing dancing, tap dancing, and more.

“This is an amazing opportunity for everyone in the choir to show off their unique talents that people normally do not get to see,” choir student Jeryn Walgamott said.

Choreographers to big-time choirs, Billy Rugh and Michelle Benton spend one month in La Grande synthesizing dance steps and quick-change costuming. In 20 years of working together, Rugh and Benton have choreographed for an array of stars, including two seasons of CW’s television series, “Legacies.” They were also resident choreographers for “America’s Got Talent,” the “Pixar Play Parade” at the Disneyland resort, “The Lion King: A Summer Safari” for Disney special events, and VH1’s Trailblazer Honors awards show hosted by Rita Ora.

With the help of Rugh and Benton, students have developed new dance skills in just a few weeks.

“Some students have never danced before, but they came ready to learn and ended up absolutely killing it,” Walgamott said.

Admission is $8 for adults and $7 for seniors and students. Group tickets are $6 each with the purchase of 10 or more. Tickets are available online and for purchase at Red Cross Drug and the EOU Bookstore.

For more information, contact Peter Wordelman at 541-962-3352 or pwordelm@eou.edu.

Written by PR Intern Briana Rosenkranz.

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