ILLUMINATE 2026
Mustang Media Group went behind the scenes of Illuminate, United Movement’s annual dance showcase that lights up the Performing Arts Center each February. Illuminate first started out with an audience of 100 in Chumash Auditorium in 2018 and has since grown into two sold out shows in the Performing Arts Center. Featuring a wide variety of dance styles and cultural clubs on campus, the show is the final product of months of long rehearsals and dedication. Friends, family and alumni travel to San Luis Obispo every year to experience the performance. Our staff aimed to capture the passion, pressure and excitement leading up to the big night.
Detrás de escena de la producción y preparación de United Movement para Illuminate 2026
Find the English version here. Traducido por Sophia Neal. Son casi las 12 de la mañana en Cal Poly, pero en los muelles de carga del Centro de Artes Escénicas (PAC), la música no se ha detenido. Illuminate, la muestra de danza más grande dirigida por estudiantes en Cal Poly, organizada por el equipo de danza United Movement, reúne a decenas de artistas que representan diversas culturas en dos espectáculos en el escenario del PAC. Mientras el público ve una producción pulida, la presentación…
In photos: Illuminate 2026
Quiet hums, flashes from digital cameras and quick footwork filled the backstage moments before dances came alive at Illuminate 2026. Dancers arrived at the Performing Arts Center San Luis Obispo early the morning of Feb. 21 to get ready in the dressing rooms. Performers touched up their braids, put on their costumes and shared excited giggles.…
Behind the scenes of United Movement’s production and preparation for Illuminate 2026
It’s nearly midnight at Cal Poly, but at the Performing Arts Center (PAC) loading docks, the music hasn’t stopped. Illuminate, Cal Poly’s largest student-run dance showcase hosted by the dance team, United Movement, brings together dozens of performers representing diverse cultures for two shows on the PAC stage. While audiences see a polished production, the…
Cal Poly Salsa Club: An inclusive space for all dancing levels
Located on campus in Building 5, room 225, many students are taking on a new hobby and immersing themselves in the art of salsa dancing. Biochemistry sophomore Emma De La Torre followed her roommate to the Cal Poly Salsa Club for the first time. “Three hours basically went by, like water,” she said. “It was…
Dance and determination: Inside United Movement’s intense ‘Hell Week’
As temperatures sink into the low 40’s mid-February, San Luis Obispo becomes a ghost town, with students and locals alike relishing in the luxury known as centralized heating. However, in the University Union Plaza, the steady thump of bass and synchronized footsteps wore on and on, with the echoes lasting until the early morning hours.…
Cal Poly Andaaz brought infectious energy to the stage through their expressive movements.