THE IMPORTANCE OF STUDENT ART APPRECIATION

For the second year in a row, the University of Florida remains one of the nation’s top five public universities. The university’s prestigious status is most often accredited to its advances in STEM academics and the global impact of its scientific research. For the student body, however, this success in STEM tends to overshadow a crucial facet of the university: the dedication to and celebration of the arts.

University of Florida’s College of the Arts is home to over 30 majors within five different schools. One of the schools, the School of Theatre and Dance, is composed of an enthusiastic student body pursuing degrees relating to theater, acting, design, stage management, and dance. Throughout each fall and spring semester, the School of Theatre and Dance runs a season of student performances and shows.

This past October, I had the privilege of attending their 2022 production of “Cabaret”. I attended the performance during its opening weekend with a friend of mine, Kaitlyn. Now, Kaitlyn and I have made it a point to take advantage of on-campus arts events during our time here at UF. Between dance showcases, University Sym- phony Orchestra live performances, and art exhibitions, we have made the effort to engage in various types of artistic expression. Each dance is exciting, each symphony is enchanting, and each student-led art exhibit is extraordinary. But, “Cabaret”? This production was incredible. The powerful intention behind this performance by the cast and production crew was unmistakable. The production value was tremendous, with the execution of the production itself being flawless. The set design was visually dynamic, faithful to the show’s settings, and appropriately adapted to the size of the stage upon which the production was performed. The time and care that went into this production were further made apparent through the cast’s excellent execution of complicated choreography (as choreographed by Andrew Cao), and the vocal quality expressed by each student contributing towards a singing role.

Just as soon as the show began, the audience was captivated by the performance. As for myself, for two and a half hours I was able to leave my unfinished essays behind and forget about the stress of impending class registration. I was instead consumed by the intricate set design, the live music, and the cast’s take on this classic musical. When the performers made their final exit from the stage, the crowd sat in a shocked silence for a moment before collectively rising from their seats to deliver a well-deserved standing ovation. Kaitlyn and I were so amazed by the performance that we left the theater only able to express our awe through sputtering half-sentences and chaotic hand gestures. Of course, once we could form coherent thoughts, we went on to tell the rest of our friends that they needed to get tickets and see “Cabaret” before the show’s run ended.

I now realize that Kaitlyn and I were rewarded twofold by making the time to see “Cabaret”. By going to see the show, we took a moment to step away from our coursework. We all know that it’s important to take breaks in between assignments, or from studying. However, when students have back-to-back exams, all notions of taking a healthy break are often thrown out the dormroom window. Going to see “Cabaret” gave us an excuse to leave our desks for a moment to engage in something other than our heavy course load. Most importantly, it functioned as a productive break. We connected with the art and celebrated its expression by our fellow Gators for a few hours. I think it’s fair to differentiate this from the types of breaks that include procrastinating on approaching due dates through mindless scrolling of TikTok or counting down the days until the end of the semester. Secondly, through attending and promoting student-centered performances, we are able to encourage other students to engage with future artistic endeavors run through the University of Florida. Art and art appreciation are so incredibly important to students’ ability to create a holistic worldview, as they allow individuals to express themselves creatively and give them the opportunity to learn from and be inspired by the work of others.

Recognizing this, I wanted to know if the students participating in the performance felt the same. I spoke with Skylar Geraghty, who played the role of Kit Kat Girl. I asked for her opinion on the value of art appreciation and its importance as a subject for students to engage in.

Geraghty responded, saying that, “student appreci- ation of the arts is vital, as it provides opportunities for new perspectives and encourages empathy and connection in a way that nothing else does.” She also expanded upon her response, noting that, “the arts challenge people to embrace a different point of view in an all-encompassing way, and in doing so, facilitate a unique type of learning and growth”.

I completely agree with Geraghty. The type of connection facilitated between students, and introspectively within oneself, through art appreciation is unique. On account of this, the imagination, creativity and skill required to execute impactful and inspiring pieces and performances should not go unnoticed or be understated within our university.

Take a productive break from your work, and challenge yourself to participate or be immersed in some form of creative expression. The School of Theatre and Dance’s current event and show season runs through April 2023. You can visit their website (as listed below) for more information on how you can appreciate art within our Gator community.

Link: https://arts.ufl.edu/academics/theatre-and-dance/current-season/

Story by Chloe Grant Design by Courtney Chalmers