By Maxine Giza

It’s a quiet Sunday morning on a side street in Worcester, and while many others are sleeping, a dozen dancers are practicing to tell the tales of issues that affect people today.

Far away from the glitz and glamour portrayed on shows like Dance Moms and So You Think You Can Dance, dancers come from studios across central Massachusetts to make up Twisted Techniques Dance Company. While some of the dancers are as young as 12, many of them are adults who juggle a career with their passion for dance, said Twisted Techniques founder, Kristy Fitzpatrick.

“The majority of [dancers in] this company are people who have already danced throughout their whole life,” Fitzpatrick said. “They have danced throughout high school and college, and now, they are grown up and they still want to dance seriously. There aren’t a lot of venues for that, so we get together here.”

For some of the company’s participants, returning to the craft as an adult has made dancing more fun. “When I was little, I think I cared more about what people thought around me, and now, I totally dance for myself and don’t really care about other people. It’s more relaxed now,” said member Ryan Borin, who started dancing again after college.

Unlike the screaming and belittlement often heard on popular dance shows, the atmosphere during a Twisted Techniques’ rehearsal is the exact opposite. The room is filled with light laughter, warm smiles and collaboration. In fact, it’s the combination of different backgrounds that unites the group and is helping it thrive.

“We have hip-hop dancers; we have ballerinas en pointe; we have a lot of contemporary dancers, jazz dancers and musical theater [dancers],” Fitzpatrick said. “So, we blend all of the different styles together with different routines, and we all learn from each other.”

Some may think meshing so many different styles would present a headache, but that isn’t necessarily the case. For Melissa Cruz, choreographing and dancing is a beautiful art form that combines music and movement to tell a powerful story. “There are so many different songs out there and so many different interpretations of songs, and it’s just a great way for self-expression,” she said.

“I think that anyone can dance,” Cruz elaborated. “Some people might be intimidated to start dancing, but just get out there and move your body. It’s a lot of fun and it makes you feel good about yourself.”

The company draws its inspiration from current events and issues and has performed at Worcester’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade and during intermission at a Boston Celtics’ game. Twisted Techniques’ first big performance, Life: Light and Dark (at Anna Maria College on May 5) features routines on topics such as love, war, mental illness and hope ~ topics that affect people today.

Through members’ diverse backgrounds and hot topics, the company hopes to engage and entertain audiences while giving back to the community.

To see a video with dancer interviews, click here! For more information about Twisted Techniques, visit facebook.com/twistedtechniques.

Photos:
Right: Twisted Techniques perform during the intermission of a Boston Celtics basketball game at the TD Garden in Boston, Mass. (Courtesy).
Left: Dancers audition for Twisted Techniques performance, Life: Light and Dark (Courtesy).