Brigham Young University’s Ballroom Dance Company came to Weber State University’s Austad Auditorium Friday night, bringing with them a new perspective on ballroom dancing as a whole.

Audience members responded well to the two-hour show, Capture the Magic. The ballroom dance ensemble performed 16 different numbers, each from a different international culture.

One of the more nationally-recognized university ballroom dance companies, the members are required to be proficient in all different styles of ballroom dance.  Viennese waltzing, the cha cha, the samba, the rumba, the lindy, West Coast swinging and the foxtrot were all on the program, among other styles.

“What we love most about performing at Weber State University is the great audience response and the great facility,” said Linda Wakefield, assistant director of Performing Arts Management for the program.

The ensemble is made up of 32 dancers and five technicians that are all students. With a wide variety of staff and a tight-knit cast, most problems are easy to overcome, but with this performance at WSU being its first one of the year since Christmas break, there were a few rough patches.

“During the production, we had some illness and issues on the lighting and technical aspect of the show, but have managed to pull together for the show,” Wakefield said.

Mackenzie Kroghan, one of the dancers, loves the tight-knit atmostphere.

“My favorite part of being a part of the ensemble is every thing that takes place backstage,” Kroghan said.

The BYU Ballroom Dance Company differs from the BYU Folk Dance Ensemble, which will be coming to WSU’s Browning Center on Feb. 3. Where the ballroom dancers are expected to be proficient in all styles of dance, the folk dancers are only expected to perform in the dance type of their specialty, which may be Russian, Spanish or many others.

The BYU ballroom dance program has been under the guidance of at least four different directors since its introduction in 1968, and has garnered much national praise for its consistent and unique style of performance.