MOMIX, a touring dance company made up of dancers of all ages, was set to perform its Botanica at Staller as a part of a gala event honoring the “Friends of Staller” — people who donate large sums of money to the center in an effort to support the arts and the university. Alan Inkles and Julie Greene, Staller Center director and marketing director, respectively, worked to make possible a free student show the day before the gala.

“They [“Friends of Staller”] paid $55, $400, some of them paid $1000, to see the show you’re going to see tonight for free. So because of them, they did this for tonight, we’re going to do this every single year,” Inkles told students at the opening of the show.

Inkles introduced the show, saying that it would be one that was dissimilar to any comedy show or concert performance that students would see at Staller.

“Sometimes it’s great to give you something that will challenge you, move you, and when you walk out of the theater tonight, hopefully make you think about a lot of different things,” Inkles said.

Students watched in disbelief as the complete darkness and obscurity of the theater and stage were brought to life through colorful costumes, props, and dancers whose faces conveyed their every emotion.

“I was amazed,” said Lynn Lettieri, a senior Health Science and Public Health Education major. “I was expecting that it would be more like Cirque de Soleil, which it is but a lot more dancing. I like it.”

Lettieri also said that she was impressed by the capabilities of the dancers, noting one particular dancer who performed a routine on the surface of a mirrored incline to create the illusion of another dimension.

According to Frank Imperiale, the production coordinator at Staller, 805 students attended the show. Inkles said that about 1000 guaranteed-entry tickets and 200 standby tickets were given out.

Inkles’ pride in the event was obvious, as he gave the show the highest possible praise.

“It’s an amazing theatrical show. It’s theater, it’s dance, it’s music, it’s spectacular. It’s really art,” Inkles said.

John Eden, one of the nine dancers who are part of the MOMIX Botanica show, sat down for an interview with the Statesman after the performance, and said that he thought the idea for an all-student audience was great.

“I’ve been in the company for seven years now, but it’s the first time that we’ve ever, I’ve ever done anything like that where the fundraiser kind of helped and to have an entire student audience was amazing,” Eden said.

Inkles said that he plans to organize a free show for students every year from now on.