Riverside City College Dance Earns Gala Selection at ACDA Conference

From February 4–7, the Riverside City College Dance Department represented the college at the American College Dance Association (ACDA) Conference held at California State University, Long Beach, earning top honors and national recognition.

A major highlight of the festival was the selection of And Five..Six..Seven Eight, choreographed by part-time faculty member Ericka J. Brown, for the prestigious Gala Concert. The piece was chosen as the closing performance of the evening—an exceptional honor among participating institutions. Originally premiered during the fall Kinetic Conversations Dance Concert at the Landis Performing Arts Center, the work was performed at ACDA by RCC Dance students Charlotte Burink, Chloe Cruz, Chloe Jimenez, Dalia Popok Romero, and Taylor Hill.

Following the adjudication concert, the piece received high praise from adjudicators Onye Ozuzu, Victor Quijada, and Edisa Weeks, who described the choreography as “densely packed, intentional, and satisfying,” and commended the dancers for their clarity and articulation. Judges also referred to the work as “a dancer’s dance for dancers,” highlighting its inventive use of rhythm, retrograde structure, and layered counting while pushing beyond traditional genre expectations.

In addition to the gala selection, RCC Dance also performed Bonnie Barrett’s Daft Varsity in the Informal Concert on the opening day of the conference. The piece, a work-in-progress from her upcoming choreography for the spring student-led production Celebrate Dance 2026: POP Re-Imagined, received enthusiastic and supportive feedback from the ACDA dance community.

The conference provided invaluable performance experience, professional adjudication, and regional visibility for RCC students and faculty, further reinforcing the college’s commitment to excellence in the performing arts.

“This recognition speaks to the discipline, artistry, and collaborative spirit of our students and faculty,” said Rosa Frazier, Dance Instructor, “To have our work selected to close the Gala Concert is an extraordinary honor and a testament to the caliber of talent we cultivate at Riverside City College. We are incredibly proud of how our dancers represented RCC on this stage.”

For more information about the Riverside City College Dance program and upcoming performances, visit www.rcc.edu.