With the winds blustering outside, students gathered inside the Marriott Center Tuesday morning, for a dance devotional.

"May there be more sunshine in your souls today than there is outside," President Samuelson said Tuesday as he introduced the theme of the dance performance devotional: a kaleidoscope of movement.

Adam Ruri, BYUSA's president from Upper Hutt, New Zealand, spoke at the beginning of the performance, welcoming students.

Ruri told students that, since being elected to office six months ago, attendance records have been broken at events, there are more than 60 active clubs and the song 'That's Against the Honor Code" has been sung to 4,000 new students.

"You know what I am talking about," Ruri joked.

Ruri talked about service on BYU campus and said he was thankful for students' efforts to serve.

"It is because you serve that we [BYUSA] exist," Ruri said. "We need you to keep studying. We need you to keep learning. We need you to keep cheering and serving."

After Ruri's remarks, the lights dimmed and the BYU performing groups - the Ballroom Dance Company, Folk Dance Ensemble, Dancers' Company, Theatre Ballet and the Cougarettes - stepped onto the stage.

The opening number included all dance groups performing a dance to the "Hairspray" finale song "You can't Stop the Beat." With the groups dancing together with their different colored costumes, the theme "kaleidoscope of movement" proved itself.

The Ballroom Dance Company was the first group to perform after the opening number. Hips shaking and skirts twirling, the dance company brought Latin influence to the devotional with their black costumes, accented with hot pinks and lime greens.

Moving from ballroom, Theater Ballet performed next. With flowing green, blue and yellow costumes, the ballerinas danced gracefully across the stage, making poignant movements to the classical music in the background.

The Modern Dance Company next took the stage, with stained glass windows displayed on the screen behind them. The dancers performed a piece that told a story with their fluid movements.

Devotionalgoers began cheering as the Cougarettes with bedazzled top hats and batons made their way onto the stage. The Cougarettes performed a dance with jumps, kicks and twirls.

Last, but certainly not least, the Folk Dance Ensemble clogged their way onto the stage, performing intense steps to upbeat music.



Copyright Brigham Young University 22 Oct 2008