Spring Dance Concert: April 28-30

The Spring Dance Concert is one of the biggest dance performances of the year, with every student in the dance department being in the concert. In preparation, many classes begin the choreography process as early as Feb. 13. This year, dance dean Heather Lescaille brought in multiple guest artists from around the country to produce choreography for the show. For this concert, there were 10 guest artists, including Krista Ellensohn, Saim Gauwoos, Troy Powell, and Peter Stark. There were 14 pieces in all, including a 30-minute ballet, where the pointe class performed a shortened variation of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.”

Senior Dance Concert: May 5

Dance majors are required to take two technique classes, and seniors can choose to be part of the senior preparatory class. The first half of the year they work on audition techniques, college applications, and future plans, such as whether or not they will pursue dance. The second half of the year, when the dancers arrive back from winter break, they begin creating choreography for their end-of–year showcase. The 33 seniors in the class each held auditions for their pieces, then chose who they wanted to cast. Although many chose to, not everyone in class was required to create a piece for the show, but some paired up or even made two. Because the time to put the show together was so short, the class decided to hold multiple rehearsals during third period, lunch, and after school. Including the senior generation dance from Spirit Week, there were 26 dances in the show, ranging from large and small groups to duets.

Choreography Showcase: May 12

The choreography class for sophomores and juniors was an elective choice for dance majors after they fulfil their requirement of two technique classes. In the beginning of the school year, students in the class began with improvisation exercises to warm up to choreographic style. After, they began setting choreography. Unlike the senior dance class, the choreography class chooses on a sheet of paper who they prefer to work with for their piece, then the class instructor balances out the students in the number of pieces they are allowed to be in. Out of 22 students in the class, they all created pieces for their show held in the Black Box Theater on May 12. The styles included ballet, jazz, contemporary, and tap, and the amount of dancers in a piece ranged from two to 22.