Dance: The Journey of a Student Choreographer

Ava Dyer provides feedback to the five dancers she is leading as a student choreographer for the Spring Dance Concert. Their rehearsal was held in the Wolf Pack Lombardi Recreation Center in Reno, NV, on March 4, 2026.

“This was always the goal to get to choreograph in the student choreo. So I’m excited. I’m finally here,” said Ava Dyer, a student choreographer for this spring’s dance showcase.

A posed picture of Ava Dyer in the Wolf Pack Lombardi Recreation Center in Reno, NV, on March 11, 2026.

Ava is a sophomore at the University of Nevada, Reno (UNR) and is double-majoring in criminal justice and dance. She is very involved with the dance program at UNR, but her journey has not been like most other dancers.

Avery Steinkamp, Aubrey Stanton, Katarina Hallerbach, Jadee Higgins, and Tyler Dorning rehearse the first half of the routine.

“I started doing gymnastics and musical theater when I was like three or four, but I didn’t start like dancing, dancing, like technique, ballet, all that good stuff until I was in high school,” Ava explained.

Ava Dyer references her notebook, which contains plans and layouts for the dance routine.

During Ava’s freshman year of high school, she tried out for her school’s dance team but did not make it.

“So, that whole year, I worked so hard practicing every day in my living room, because dance technique is something that takes years to learn. And so, trying to catch up with people who have been doing ballet since they were like kids was really hard, and it was quite the struggle,” said Ava.

Ava Dyer models how a section of the choreography should look with dancer Avery Steinkamp following.

In her freshman year in college at UNR, Ava got involved with the dance program by taking classes and participating in the fall and spring dance showcases.

The dancers cover their faces in this section of the routine to represent Medusa.

“I literally couldn’t have asked for a better experience,” said Ava.

“Everyone’s just like doing their thing, and the professors are just here to support you on your journey. It’s definitely been an amazing experience.”

The dancers line their personal belongings and school supplies up against the back wall in the Wolf Pack Lombardi Recreation Center.

Ava always enjoyed coming up with short dances and solos on her own, and saw the opportunity to turn this into something bigger by becoming a student choreographer. She wants this piece to evoke emotion in the audience and have it mean something to them.

Ava Dyer critiques the dancers as they rehearse the choreography.

“The piece is based off of Medusa and the story of what happened to her. All of their movements are based on the way that snakes move. And so it has that very snaky quality, but then also, it’s moving from fear into this anger, and the way us as women feel in this world when there’s power imbalances, or injustice, and men are telling us all these things, like, not only did you do something wrong, but everything’s also your fault,” Ava explains.

She said that a lot of the choreography she has done in the past has been feminist based, she wants the women in the audience to relate to it.

The dancers finish the first half of the routine.

When asked how this experience has changed her view on dance and the process of creating this form of art, Ava said, “I love teaching, putting my work on other people. And so, it just reminded me how much I love it and how much I need to keep doing it forever.”

Ava Dyers celebrates as the dancers finish the first half of the routine.

The Spring Dance Showcase will be on May 8th and 9th, in the Lombardi Recreation Center at UNR. Keep an eye out on social media to get updates and purchase your tickets!

Story and pictures by Emma Christian.