Jill Barrile photo: Choreography III and Senior Seminar students put together pieces to present this weekend.This past weekend, the Mercyhurst dancers performed “Raw Edges: For Jenni-Lyn Watson,” at the Mary D’Angelo Performing Arts Center.

While this concert had all the usual aspects of the annual student choreography showcase, this year’s performance was dedicated to the life of beloved dancer Jenni-Lyn Watson, whose November death deeply affected the members of the dance department.

Each piece in the concert pulled a quote from Watson’s philosophy of life from her MySpace page, which created a continual thread throughout the concert.

Each show also began with a montage of photos and video clips of Jenni-Lyn, compiled by Assistant Professor Mark Santillano, and a rendition of Josh Groban’s “To Where You Are,” sung by Matthew Tolbert.

Furthermore, following the Saturday evening performance a reception was held in the Cummings Art Gallery, at which her close friends shared fond memories of their time with her.

Watson’s father, mother, and sister were special guests for the Saturday evening show and at the memorial service and Mass said in her honor Sunday morning at Christ the King Chapel.

Jill Barrile photo: Topics that choreographers used as inspiration ranged from heavy themes such as bullying to lighter topics such as color.The concert featured pieces choreographed by Choreography III and Senior Seminar students as well as a liturgical piece choreographed by Associate Professor C. Noelle Partusch.

Partusch’s piece included many of the dancers that Watson had originally selected to be in her piece.

True to tradition, “Raw Edges” was a very eclectic show in both choreography and music selections.

Dance styles ranged from neoclassical ballet to modern and even belly dance, and music included classical composers such as J.S. Bach and Frédéric Chopin as well as contemporary artists such as Nine Inch Nails, The Cranberries and Heathers.

“The dancers were absolutely amazing, and the music was just as brilliant,” said senior Justin Kohnen, who attended the Saturday matinee performance.

The different pieces on the program explored a wide diversity of ideas spanning from a political statement on human trafficking to bullying to more lighthearted themes such as the elements of coffee and varieties of colors.

Each piece also had a collaborative aspect, as one of the requirements for both classes was that each choreographer would collaborate with another artist.

These collaborations included projections and hangings of visual art, poetry read by Dr. Thomas Forsthoefel of the religious studies department and live instrumental and vocal music among others.

“It was really interesting to see what the dancers choreographed themselves, and I was incredibly impressed by the creativity of the pieces,” senior Leah Kroll said, who attended the Saturday evening show. “Everything flowed together so well, from the music to the costumes, to the images that appeared in some pieces.”

“Raw Edges: For Jenni-Lyn Watson” proved to be a fulfilling and healing experience for the community as a whole as well as an exciting treat for the audience members.

“This was probably the best ‘Raw Edges’ performance I have come to yet,” said Alethea Bodine, director of the Lake Erie Ballet.