DPAC Ambassadors at Derek Hough Blog
By Ella
Last night I had the pleasure of attending Derek Hough: Dance for the Holidays as a DPAC Performing Arts Ambassador. As I walked up to DPAC, it was so beautiful to see it all decorated for the holidays. I began my evening shadowing Debbie, a volunteer, who was working at the coat check for President’s Club members. While we didn’t collect many coats, it was an enjoyable experience to spend time with Debbie and the DPAC staff who run the President’s Club. One thing that I love about being an Ambassador is getting to meet and form connections with other members of my community from fellow Ambassadors, to volunteers, to a variety of members of the DPAC staff from many different departments. It is so valuable to interact with other people who are interested in the arts and gain their various perspectives on the industry that I am so passionate about.
Derek Hough: Dance for the Holidays was a super fun show! I am not an avid fan of Dancing with the Stars, but I still had a blast watching Derek, his wife Hayley, and the talented ensemble perform. The show truly encapsulated the holiday spirit, and made me even more excited for the upcoming season. There was a good balance of high-energy numbers to slower ones, which kept me engaged the entire show. Additionally, the sets and extravagant costumes enhanced the holiday atmosphere and provided another layer of sensory intrigue, which contributed to my enjoyment. A highlight for me was the audience interaction. At one point, Derek brought 5 audience members onstage, and proceeded to jump over all of them. This was an impressive feat, and it was so cool to see the joy of the lucky audience members who got to share the stage with him. Another moment that I loved was when a group of dancers from a local studio joined Derek for a number. I found this particularly moving because the excitement these dancers felt was palpable, and watching the entire audience hype them up was so special; I am sure that they will remember that moment forever. Overall, the talent onstage was truly astounding, Derek is a compelling personality, and the bits of comedy, as well as personal reflections about his life and the holiday season combined to form a unique and powerful show. While I would likely not have gone out of my way to see a dance performance in my own life, I thoroughly enjoyed my time at this show, and I am grateful that the Ambassador program gave me this opportunity!
