As spring unfolds and the school year approaches an end, dancers at Taft are bringing their whole year of work into the spotlight. The annual Spring Dance Showcase, taking place on the 18th of May from 7-8 pm in Bingham, will mark the accumulation of the dancers’ dedication, creativity, and diligence over the semester.
The showcase will present a variety of styles, scattered across a total of 10 pieces, all coming together to close the school year on a spirited and artistic note. Talented students from Intermediate Dance and Advanced Dance have choreographed their own dances in groups and taken on the entire creative process. Throughout the semester, dancers worked collaboratively to select music, choreograph, choose costumes, and design the lighting. Bonny Long ‘29 from the Intermediate Dance class commented, “Choreographing in a group was a really unique experience, as we were all new to choreographing ourselves, so it was good that we got to inspire each other during the process. On the other hand, it was also challenging because we had to find a common ground between all dancers and respect everyone’s thoughts.” Dancers in a group setting value the balance between applying their own artistry and complementing the ideas of others at the same time. The self-choreography process is not easy; it requires a lot of time and creativity offstage to showcase the dancers’ own identity and individuality.
For the senior dance students, this showcase will be their last dance performance at Taft. All seniors will perform a solo dance choreographed by an esteemed guest choreographer. Alongside that, they also created their own choreography for other selected dancers to execute.
Yolanda Wei ‘26 voiced her gratitude towards dance at Taft and reflected on her artistic journey over the past four years; she expressed, “I’m grateful to have danced in every showcase over the past four years with such incredible people, and I’ll miss it deeply. At the same time, this feels like both an ending and a new beginning for my dance journey.” Even though they will be departing from Taft for a new adventure in university, their efforts put into dance will never be forgotten here and will continue to inspire and motivate younger dancers.
Something truly incredible about dance is its ability to remarkably convey the choreographer’s message to spectators through music and movement, without the use of language. The dance director at Taft, Ms. Surber, stated that through dance, students can “practice creativity and learn about self-expression. They love to connect with audiences and express themselves with their bodies and the stories that they can tell through the designs and intentions behind their choreography.” So, you should definitely come to the Dance Showcase to unwind, experience the blooming spirits of spring, and support the fabulous dancers before going into the holiday!
Photo courtesy of Robert Falcetti
