Chloe Crowell ’25 and Libby Dai ’25 perform a self-choreographed duet.
Dancers in Ms. Laurel Lynch’s technique class perform ballet.
Mr. Seny Camara performs with students in his West African dance class.
By Gopika Sheth ’27
Every year, the Choate Dance Department hosts the Student Choreographers’ Showcase (SCS), featuring original student works. This year, a novel twist was introduced to the lineup: dance faculty choreographed works for students enrolled in technique classes, who were invited to perform as well.
SCS is Choate’s version of an open studio, mirroring professional dance workshops where artists showcase evolving works. From traditional Chinese dance to contemporary group dance, SCS showcased a diverse array of performances. Members of the Choate community witnessed the artistry of student choreographers and dancers up close on December 2 and 3 in the Colony Hall Dance Studio.
Besides students in Dance Composition class and other student choreographers who typically perform at SCS, students enrolled in afternoon technique classes presented works choreographed by their teachers at SCS for the first time this year.
Contemporary dance teacher Ms. Angharad Davies, who choreographed for SCS, said, “I think it can help possibly to grow the program by getting people that wouldn’t necessarily consider themselves as being interested in dance to see what it is.”
Ms. Davies’s Multi-level Contemporary Dance class presented a piece that drew upon the techniques and movement phrases they learned throughout the fall term. The performance, titled “Instadance,” was a testament to the generosity and vulnerability exhibited by the class members towards one another.
“The students that were in the class last term were really sensitive to one another, and there is something in the way that it was built that shares that,” Ms. Davies said.
Students in the Upper-level Contemporary and Ballet classes, as well as the West African Dance and Hip Hop classes, also presented the pieces they worked on during the fall term, elevating the event’s cultural richness and diversity of style.
In the mixed program, students shared pieces they worked on throughout the Dance Composition class. Ms. Pamela Newell, their teacher and the head of the Choate Dance Program, assigned them the task of choreographing a piece inspired by the style and dance movements of a contemporary dance choreographer.
Aggie McPartland ’27 and Maelle Davenport ’27 performed a duet inspired by renowed choreographer Bill T. Jones to “Swipe Right,” a contemporary poem. Through their performance, they hope to evoke in audiences a deeper understanding and appreciation for the diversity of individuals and their identities.
In their piece, the McPartland and Davenport performed complementary movements and repeated each other’s choreography. This group dynamic demonstrated how influencers can impact the actions of others. “[The piece] is also about how teenagers are growing up with so much influence from social media, how they view themselves, and how it affects who they are,” McPartland said.
Ms. Newell emphasized the importance of the showcase’s casual setting in the dance studio. This decision, driven by a desire for informality and experimentation, aligns with SCS’s mission to serve as a platform for showcasing pieces without the pressure of creating polished works. Ms. Newell said that the unique setting helped create a conducive atmosphere for exploration, receiving feedback, and pushing students’ creative boundaries.
Ms. Newell expressed her excitement about the diversity of voices and styles presented during SCS, which showcased the myriad of ways dance can be interpreted and performed. “When I watch the dance, I see the person,” she said. “I don’t just see the steps that they’re doing or put together, but I see into individuals’ experience of movement and life, and I think that’s what’s important.”
In the setting of the dance studio, SCS emerges as a canvas for authentic self-expression, free from the constraints of polished performances, and embodies the vibrant and diverse dance community at Choate.
