Shut Up And Dance Theatre Analysis

In 1994, performer Darryl Yeager saw the need for another company in Salt Lake City, Utah to allow the large group of unemployed talents a chance at beginning to work in their field. Thus he founded Odyssey Dance Theatre. He wanted to focus on having dance works that were performed for general audience instead of for people who focus on dance as an elite form. After discovery of this need, Yeager began the choreographic work “Shut Up and Dance” to allow people of all ages and ethnicities to be entertained by a vibrant and energetic mash up of various styles of dance. Odyssey Dance Theatre is made up of 26 talented and passionate artists, who are under the direction of Derryl Yeager. The company’s repertory includes a wide variety of styles, which range from Jazz and Ballet to Hip Hop, Tap, and Broadway. Odyssey also explores the original roots of many of what have evolved into the popular dance styles of today. The company explores styles such as classical ballet of the Romantic era, as well as the roots that have evolved and created what we know as Jazz dance today (i.e. Vaudeville, Authentic African …show more content…
Using fascinating props, lighting designs, costuming and other various tricks to impress the audience was the beginning of something new, allowing them to tour in Europe, going on 13 years in a row with the unique performance. Focusing highly on the music at times and allowing the performances to become theatrical drew large audiences in, causing almost all of their shows to sell out as soon as word was spread. Shut Up and Dance, over the years began to be their main income source for the company, allowing them to add additional concerts and performances to the repertory, such as RedduxNut- Cracker, and outreach opportunities for the surrounding