Last Thursday, a couple of us from EDIT attended Showtime’s Coachella event. The evening started off great with beautiful weather that almost tricked one into believing that we actually were in Southern California. With a blue sky above and in our best Coachella imitated outfits, we made our way to the event. At 18:15 we found ourselves standing outside of AKA, dressed in clothes that shimmered from either glitter or sequins, with belts and cowboy boots, and our hair curled or braided — ready for Coachella!
The first thing I noticed when I stepped into Showtime’s Coachella was the cozy atmosphere. From the roof hung colorful lanterns, fairy lights, and disco lamps that painted the room in different colors. From the speakers came hit song after hit song, and we immediately fell into a festive mood. At the entrance we received a ‘Showtime Coachella’ patch and a purple wristband — which was for the food that we would receive later. I loved that they used wristbands, since that added to the festival aesthetic.
At 18:30, the hosts entered the stage and welcomed everyone to the event. One could feel the excitement in the room, from both the performers and the audience. The show then started and contained ballet, cha cha cha, slow waltz, viennese waltz, lady hip hop, tango, and latin. In between the dance performances, the Showtime Band performed some well known hits that we all sang and vibed along to. I was blown away and truly amazed by not only all the talent in the room, but also all the passion and energy. One could tell that both the dancers and the band truly loved what they were doing — it was inspiring!
There was a break in the middle of the show, which gave one the opportunity to take pictures, mingle, and grab a burger. During the second half of the show, Edit was unable to sit still, so we went to the back of the room and danced and sang along as the band played, and applauded and vibed as the dancers performed. We had such a great time! After the last dance performance, the dancers started to invite the audience to the dancefloor. Eventually, all of us from the audience were by the stage, dancing with the dancers and the band. And it could not have been a better ending to this amazing evening!
My dear friend, Marlene, is part of the latin group and performed at the event. When I asked “what was your favorite part of the event?” she answered without hesitation: “when everyone was dancing to ‘Don’t stop me now’ at the end of the show. It was amazing and so wholesome.” Marlene also added that she loved the energy from the audience, since they appeared so engaged. When asked about her favorite thing about Showtime, she said: “the welcomeness.” Marlene explained that performing arts environments typically are extremely accepting of individuality: “Showtime is a place where I can fully be myself.”
In conclusion, we (EDIT) had such a great time at the event. We all agreed that the highlight of the show was the energy — from both the performances and the performers. As mentioned before, one could really tell that the performers loved what they were doing and they truly delivered an amazing show. Showtime successfully arranged an evening of dance and music that translated into inspiration and liberation — where everyone was able to enjoy themselves and have a good time!
Writer: Vilma Bovin
