The Fall Dance Show, recently held in the Kazu Fukuda Black Box Theater, was a resounding spectacle of dance, music, and artistic performance.
The two-day run in November, was the culmination of hard work over three months from both the dancers and choreographers. It was a captivating and interesting performance based on the theme of “Impact.”
“I feel really honored to be able to perform to the Sage Hill community and others. I get to bond with my friends a lot through the dances and I’m just really excited for everyone to see our amazing show,” sophomore Clara Attlesey said
According to the show’s webpage, the show aimed to “explore the people, ideas, and communities that shape us as individuals and inspire us to be forces of change in this world.”
The dancers involved with the show were primarily from Honors Dance Ensemble and Honors Dance IV, the highest level dance classes. Creative Director Syndey Smith and Dance teacher Taleen Shrikian guided students through the production.
The evening began with a performance titled “Grown Women” which focused on the empowerment of women, specifically women of color, through dance. This theme was constant throughout the show. A memorable performance was “Petals” where water released from the ceiling was used as a visual effect that contrasted with the dancers. The genre of music and dance on display was wide-ranging, all the way from Kendrick Lamar’s “DNA” to a piano piece composed by senior Emily Chen. The performance ended with a group dance of Honors Dance Ensemble and Dance IV, in a fun and upbeat choreography.
To prepare for the show, students invested “a lot of time and commitment not only into their dances but also to their intentions,” Smith said. Most of the dance routines were choreographed by the students themselves.
“They have been putting in a lot of effort and work, they have blocks throughout the day, but Honors Dance Ensemble works through X block as well so they work sometimes over three hours a day to get through this work,” Smith said.
The preparation ramped up during tech week where dancers would rehearse sometimes as late as 8 p.m. Both dance classes have been preparing since August to show through dance how they impact their community and society.
Sage Hill’s Dance program members are looking forward to their next show in the Spring, which will include students from all Dance classes.
