By Julie Slama | [email protected]

Imagine scary stories in the dark, a creepy circus, Jason from the “Friday the 13th” movie series and that is the foundation of Brighton High Dance Company’s Halloween concert.

“Just think of anything you can that is spooky, but still is upbeat, fun and energetic and that’s our show,” said Lindsay Christensen, Brighton High dance company’s adviser.  

Their Halloween concert will be at 7 p.m., Oct. 28-29 in the school’s new auditorium, 2220 Bengal Blvd. Tickets are $5 and are available on BrightonBengals.org.

“We usually perform a winter concert, but the opportunity came to use the auditorium at this time, and all the dancers wanted to do a Halloween show,” Christensen said. “I love Halloween way too much—it’s my new favorite holiday. This has been so much fun to plan.”

The concert is to highlight some of Disney’s Haunted Mansion ride, Michael Jackson’s music and parts from “The Twilight Zone” television series.

While there are only 21 members in the dance company, the show involves 100 students from the stage tech crew, “who are doing some really cool things with strobe effects, shadow lighting and fog machines” to those who are enrolled in dance classes at Brighton. For example, the Ballroom 2 class will perform a “Pirates of the Caribbean” waltz; Dance 1 and 2 classes are incorporating scarecrows and vampires in their dance; and the Musical Theatre class will perform a vignette with a twist from “Elf.”  

Of the remaining 21 dancers, 12 of them are choreographed by dance company members, who submitted proposals based on Halloween and fall themes.

“This helps them have an artistic voice as choreographers, so it not only gives them a chance to perform, but to coach and take an idea, add movement, costumes, lighting and become creative,” she said.

Patrons can expect to see several kinds of dance, including jazz, hip hop, ballet and contemporary. 

“We try to include a bunch of different dances so there is something for everyone to watch and enjoy, or to get chills, laugh, or get a little scared—but not too bad,” Christensen said.

This year, junior Rylee Lewandowski, who is serving as the dance company’s unity officer, is designing the Halloween concert poster.

Other dance company officers include senior Meredith Nielsen, president; senior Paige Rasmussen, vice president; senior Lauren Jacobs, publicist; and senior Brynn Ellessen, secretary.

The Brighton Dance Company was selected after auditioning last spring. They must maintain a 2.5 grade-point average and many of them have years of dance experience. In addition to dancing at assemblies and halftimes of games, the dancers also perform in a February concert and compete this fall in the 45th annual high school Shakespeare competition in Cedar City.

The dance company’s theme this year is “Rise.”

“They have a strong focus this year after 90% of last year’s events were canceled and having to dance in masks,” Christensen said. “This is their new beginning, coming from all the COVID-19 pandemic guidelines and restrictions, and they’re planning to rise above it. They’re so happy to have a concert and are bringing all the fun and energy with it.”