Last night, Troy Dance Repertoire Ensemble gave their final dress rehearsal performance in Troy before the well-anticipated flight to China.

TDRE will go to Atlanta today at noon and will leave for China at 8:30 a.m. on Thursday, June 17 for 14 night trip.

“We think we are doing three universities, one in Beijing and two in Hebei, and a solo performance at the Great Hall where we will just do ‘Imagine.’ So we will do three full shows and a just that one song at the Great Hall,” said Deborah Hicks, director of TDRE.

The young dancers will be doing more than just dancing in China, they will be experiencing the culture.

“I know that we’re going to see the head of the Great Wall of China, the pandas in the zoo (Beijing Zoo), the Forbidden City, Tiananmen Square, the Bird’s Nest National Stadium, Kung fu show, an acrobatic show, Beijing Water Cube Tour, and whatever else the Confucius Institute has us doing,” Hicks said.

TDRE is taking a total of nine pieces to China with them: Black and Gold, Flatline, Division, Trio-When You Say My Name, For You, Imagine, Nothing to Say, Between the Lines and Rock You, all of which were performed at last night’s send of performance.

“I can’t wait to get out of Troy and into China,” said Sydnii Todd, a sophomore broadcast journalism major from Birmingham. “Visiting the Great Wall and the Forbidden City, I’ve heard a lot of great things about it. I’m into ancient history and I think that’d be cool.”

Many of the girls were just excited about going to another country to express their innermost selves through dance.

“I’m excited about dancing at the Great Hall!” said Adrienne Hicks, a senior theater major from Dothan. “I have never danced in front of so many people before and I’m really excited about that.”

Fear of flying will not be enough to hinder the girls embarking upon a great journey to China.

“I’m always excited for TDRE when they get opportunities to do things like that. I’ve done something to work on all their shows and I have a bunch of friends that are in there because we work so closely with the dance department,” Brittany Byrd, a senior theatre major.