With 77 performers and probably the largest cast in a student concert in the community colleges, students are preparing for the show of the semester.

Along with the Associated Students of Cerritos College and the Cerritos College Dance Department will present the 2003 Spring Dance concert on March 27, 28, and 29 in the Burnight Center Theatre.

“The students have been really working hard on their routines, they have been coming to extra practices and dancing on the weekends,” said Janet Sanderson, Chair of the Dance Department.

Sanderson is the only full-time faculty member in the dance department. The other faculty members are part-time and they come from a variety of dance backgrounds and all have Masters in the performing arts.

There will be 14 numbers in the concert ranging from ballet, modern, jazz, tap and commercial dance. The dancers levels range from beginners to advanced.

“We have two student choreographers this year that are working on class projects for the show,” Sanderson said.

The class projects include doing a restaging of a classical piece in ballets.

“We’ve had sold out houses for about ten years,” Sanderson said.

Students have been practicing extra hours out of class to work on routines. Some of the students come before or after their class to work on the routine as a group to make sure the dance is clean before the performance.

During class the students learn the skills and techniques and then apply what they learned in the studio to the dance that they are working on, Sanderson said.

The students that don’t want to participate in the show routine must work at the show either doing backstage work or ushering.

The budget cuts did affect the department in that two dance classes were cut because of the low enrollment factor. Also the concert has been up in the air due to paying faculty overtime hours.

“It has been on and off about the dance show, but we finally got it, though we don’t have money for costumes and materials, we will still get by,” Sanderson said.

Tickets go fast for the concert, so students and faculty need to call to get tickets quick.

The show is on March 27, 28, and 29 and will begin at 8 p.m.

Tickets are $8 for general admission and $5 for student, children and seniors. For more information about the dance show call 562-860-2451 ext. 2861.