Salt Lake Community College’s Stars dancers performed their final routine of the season during the Salt Lake Stars NBA G League game on March 24 at the Maverik Center, taking the court in front of a live crowd and wrapping up another year of performing at a professional level.
During the 2023–24 season, SLCC’s dance team was invited to collaborate with the Salt Lake Stars. The invitation has since grown into an ongoing partnership between SLCC’s dance program and the Stars’ organization, giving student dancers the chance to perform alongside a professional team. Through the program, dancers say they gain real-world experience, build confidence and spend hours preparing choreography both in and outside of class.
“What started as an invitation has grown into an ongoing professional collaboration,” said Whitney Harris-Gutierrez, the team’s director. “Our dance students love the opportunity to directly prepare for a professional career in performance entertainment.”
For many dancers, the experience exceeded expectations. Lorryn France, a third-year dancer, said she did not expect to find so many performance opportunities at SLCC.
“It’s very known that there’s not going to be a chance for you to perform,” France said. “But being a part of so many different opportunities has been really cool.”
The program has continued to grow each season. Dancer Lauren Uribe said what started as a few games has expanded into something much bigger.
“It just kept growing each year,” Uribe said. “It’s pushed me out of my comfort zone because we’re not just performing, we’re also interacting with the audience.”
Beyond game-day performances, dancers contribute in ways audiences do not always see. The team recently participated in SLCC’s Giving Day efforts, helping raise money for scholarships and community support.
“It’s a really cool opportunity to give back to our community,” France said.
The preparation behind each performance requires significant time and commitment. Although the team meets for two hours a week as a class, dancers spend additional time outside rehearsals learning choreography, practicing and creating routines.
“Every game we come to, we have completely new material,” Harris-Gutierrez said. “They spend those two hours together, but countless hours on their own.”
Many routines are also created by students, adding another layer of responsibility and creativity to the experience.
For dancer Camryn Conner, the opportunity to continue performing after high school is what drives her commitment to the team.
“In Utah, it’s really hard to dance beyond high school,” Conner said. “I’m really grateful for the opportunity.”
As the season ends, dancers said their shared passion keeps them motivated.
“We all do it because we love to dance,” France said.
Fans can follow the SLCC Stars team on Instagram to keep up with performances, audition times and behind-the-scenes updates.
