The Brady Educational Center auditorium was full Tuesday night as students, parents and fans watched the first-ever, Dance Club-only performance.

The Dance Club, which usually performs with PULSE, went solo this fall with a show called “Dance … This Instant.”

At the beginning of September, the club held tryouts for the three teams that performed during the show. The White, Silver and Purple teams were divided based on skill level. Thirty-two students participated in the Dance Club this semester.

“Each team is clumped together with their level of talent or how many years of experience they have,” Dance Club Co-President Laura Zimmerman said.

Dance Club members performed 16 pieces at the show. Each of the three teams performed two pieces, a jazz and a lyrical piece. Zimmerman, sophomore Jaslyn Boomgaarden and Annie Prassas each performed solo dances.

Zimmerman said the teams practiced each dance five to six times in the weeks before the show.

“They’ve worked really, really hard. Everyone has, putting this on,” she said.

The songs included “Rockstar” by Rihanna, “Use Somebody” by Kings of Leon and “Jingle Bell Rock.”

Sophomore Mette Brink choreographed many of the songs, and co-presidents Lexy Wolf and Zimmerman also choreographed.

“It’s really exciting for us as dancers when we put in all this hard work, and then we see that there are people in the St. Thomas community who recognize that and are interested and want to come and support other things around St. Thomas,” Zimmerman said. “Just seeing everyone come together for a show is really exciting.”

Students were abuzz with praise after the show.

“I thought it was great,” sophomore Sara Nordstrom said. “I think they should have had two shows, though, because it was such an awesome show, and more people should have gotten to see it.”

Sophomore Lindsey Zimmerman agreed.

“The show was really good. I liked seeing the different styles of dance,” Lindsey Zimmerman said. “They had jazz and then really slow music. The solos were really cool too and showed people’s talents.”

STAR helped sponsor the event by giving 100 T-shirts to the first people to arrive. STAR also provided funds for cookies before the show and for the stage backdrop.

“I thought it was a good promo to do the shirts,” Nordstrom said.

The Dance Club will be participating in the Tommie Invite at the Anderson Athletic and Recreation Complex Dec. 4 and will be holding tryouts for spring semester in February.

Maggie Clemensen can be reached at clem0427@stthomas.edu.