The dance department held its annual fall dance concert, this year titled “Step by Step,” Nov. 15 to 17. In seven dances across eight genres, dancers took the stage to showcase their craft. For dance senior Emma Elder, the concert marked one of her final performances before graduation; Elder participated in over half of the dances.

“My favorite dances were the modern repertory piece ‘The Opposition’ by Mr. Pena and the senior surprise guest artist piece ‘Significant Encounters’ by Ray Mercer,” Elder said. “The modern repertory piece was really high-energy and so much fun to do. It had some really cool visuals and was an audience favorite.”

One of this year’s guest artists, Broadway performer and choreographer Ray Mercer choreographed the last dance of the show titled “Significant Encounters.” 

“I had the honor of working with Ray Mercer previously, so when he came to do our surprise guest piece, I was extremely excited,” Elder said. “He is so talented, kind, and experienced, and it was amazing to work with him again.”

Mercer, whose credentials include choreographer for professional dance companies such as the New Jersey Ballet and for shows such as Broadway’s “The Lion King,” worked with the dance department as a School of the Arts Foundation (SOAFI)-funded guest artist. 

“I worked with him for the first time this summer at the Boston Berklee Summer Commercial Dance Intensive,” Elder said. “He has a really fresh perspective, and watching him work and the way his brain works is so cool.”

Elder plans to continue dancing into her college years, with an acceptance to Boston Conservatory for commercial dance as a potential option.

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Nicolle Forestieri

Surrounded by her peers, dance senior Emma Elder performs a modern repertory piece called “The Opposition” at the annual fall dance concert on Nov. 15. The piece was choreographed by dance teacher Ricardo Pena. Elder described the piece as one with “high energy” accompanied by bold-colored lighting. (Caption by Mia Salvador)