Background music quieted, lights dimmed and out stepped Utah Tech University’s Fusion, a song and dance team, performing “C’mon Everybody” by Elvis Presley to start the show.
The audience was instantly engaged and ready for a night of fun at the Fall Spectacular.
The Utah Tech Entertainment Alliance presented a two-night performance, Nov. 10-11, at the M.K Cox Performing Arts Center featuring Fusion, Ballroom Dance Company and Blaze Dance Team.
There were also guest performances including:
- Utah Tech Dance Department
- Program Bureau
- Utah Tech A cappella team
- Desert Hills Tempest Line
- Hurricane High Ballroom Team
This event was held as a way for UTEA to fundraise for student scholarships and their international recruitment tour to Japan in May 2024. Usually, it is only Fusion on the international tours, but this year, the Ballroom Dance Company and the Blaze Dance Team will be joining them as they spread the word about Utah Tech University.
“Set aside spreading the hope, joy and kindness,” said Amy Gleave, director of UTEA and coach of Fusion. “We are recruiters for Utah Tech, and we go share what we’re all about.”
Part of raising funds was having a fundraising drawing throughout the night. Audience members could buy tickets that would then be entered into a drawing for different prizes.
Del Beatty, vice president of student affairs, was the host for both nights and while introducing the different performers, he would also call out the different prize winners.
While fundraising might’ve been part of the show, the performances were also there to inspire people and shed positivity.
Kaleb North, a freshman mechanical engineering major from St. George, is the president of the Program Bureau and a member of Fusion. He said a couple of their numbers were performed in the thought of those suffering from mental health.
“I think this Fall Spectacular is a good way to shed a little bit of light and to bring people closer, as friends, family, as co-workers or whatever it may be,” North said.
For a lot of the groups, this was a way to perform and practice in front of an audience. Gleave said the Fall Spectacular was also a way to show the community all of the work that the students had been putting in. The new a cappella group UTEA created was introduced during this performance as well.
Dance captain of Fusion, Lexie Day, a sophomore general studies major from Centerville, said this was their first big performance of the year. Now that it is under their belts, she knows they will continue to keep performing and working hard.
“I want to see everyone grow their talents, and I want to be able to look at videos from the beginning of the year to the end of the year and see so much improvement,” Day said.
On the other hand, Allie Sandoval, a senior communication studies major from Billings, Montana, is a member of the Ballroom Dance Company. She hopes that the Fall Spectacular helps gain some traction in the community to later perform at more local high schools. Sandoval said it would also be amazing to have more people inspired to join the Ballroom Dance Company.
If you missed the Fall Spectacular and still want to see the performance, the Community Education Channel will be streaming an almost exact performance of it Nov. 13 on YouTube.
