Spring Dance Concert 2024

POLYARTS

A Note from the Performing Arts Department Each year, our annual Spring Dance Concert ushers us into the last quarter of our school year. Prior to this moment, dancers have worked diligently in class to build skills and technique, continually pushing themselves towards their moment on the stage. Behind the scenes, students were also engaging in partnerships, class trips, costume fittings, and many extra rehearsals to further their engagement.

Sam and I feel incredibly fortunate to share with you these culminating works that celebrate different dance genres, the personalities of our students, and the strength of the arts at Poly. Please join us in congratulating these dancers for their beautiful artistry and commitment as we celebrate dance.

Ashley Hacker Performing Arts Department Chair

ACT ONE Dreamscape Act I LULLED PROLOGUE: “Between passing storms we feel the greatest pleasures and at times are reborn.”

Choreographer: Sam Turner Music: September Song by Agnes Obel B Block Dancers: Akeelah Binns, Tessa Cooper, Konatsu Iwai, Devan Jiang, Aniya Kirkland, Mia Pineda*, Jasper Whiteley*

Dreamscape Act II HORIZON DREAMS INTERLUDE: “Where the sky and the sea meet, the clouds blur the lines.”

Choreographer: Sam Turner Music: Can’t Find the Words by Ward Wills feat. Middle School H Block Dancers: Mila Bassu Arbui, Margaret Cochran, Sylvie Dorsch, Sarai Dudley, Isabelle Gerling*, Nina Harris*, Sadie Schoenberger*, Alice Shinder, Olivia Sperling, Suri Sun, Drew Waldman*

Dreamscape Act III VIVID DREAMS EPILOGUE: “The feelings you can’t remember; but have seen.”

Choreographer: Sam Turner Music: Vivid Dreams by Kaytranada feat. River Tiber Advanced Dancers: Laila Baluk*, Cecilia Berkley*, Anna Sophia Chamorro*, Genevieve Fitzpatrick*, Eden Golomb, Eve Harris, Miyana Holden*, Ella Lille Yerington*, Angelique Lopez, Elena Piquet*, Ali Schuman*, Ezekiel Wise*

*Denotes Excellence in the Arts certificate program acceptance

I’m So Excited Choreographer: Ashley Hacker Music: The Pointer Sisters 7th Grade, Semester 2 Dancers: Leo Arons-Labaton, Dalia Golomb, Olivia Harris, Romy Heller, Bailey Hill, Estella King, Charlotte Langlais, Alessandra Lisk, Jo-Lee Mckenzie, Brendon Merchant, Skyler Reyfman, Eva Rosen, Mera Schoenburg, Sadie Swartz, Max Stein, Gemma Vitolo, Kevin Zhang, Lillian Ziff

The Big Chill Choreographer: Sam Turner Music: Ryan Svendsen DanceFIT, A Block Dancers: Valentina Aberle, Nicolette Avdeychik, Jenesis Bartholomew, Olivia Chu, Kailynn Hernandez, Sasha Londoner, Soleil Peña, Norah Sheff, Andrew Sion, Brianna Sylvain, Charlotte Turkewitz, Raymond Xie

Making Waves Guest Choreographer: Lisa Nevada Music: De La Soul feat. Macio Parker 8th Grade, Semester 2 Dancers: Jack Carss, Samara Charles, Jeffrey Chen, Hart Hicks, Lalitha Jayaram, Zuva Kaitano-Price, Bodhi Kehoe, Bennett Ling-Regan, Arthur McFadyen, Finbar McGovern, Delia Pawlak, Sean Reddy, Kara Shum, Tochukwu Ugboajah, Evan Xiang, Chris Zang This piece was inspired by Carolyn Adams—former Paul Taylor dancer, teacher, and current Director at The Taylor School. The students and I worked with Ms. Adams’ opening warm-up, along with other elements from her class over several sessions together. The dancers embodied and connected with this movement so beautifully that I decided to use these elements to create this dance.

Making Waves highlights the strength and grace every performer brings to these foundational yet powerful movements. Each dancer made their own waves of growth with great enthusiasm and attentiveness! Thank you all for your work and thank you Ms. Hacker for your constant support.

Cascade Choreographer: Sam Turner Music: Runner by Dustin O’Halloran Advanced Pointe Dancers: Anna Sophia Chamorro*, Eve Harris, Nina Harris*, Konatsu Iwai

On The Floor Choreographer: Ashley Hacker Music: Jennifer Lopez and Pitbull Young Dancers: Mia Alleyne, Sydney Battle, Tabitha Burne, Camille China, Sophie Cooperman, Sophia Crath, Amina Diagne, Eve Furst, Mireya Grasso, Poppy Johnson, Mila Kehoe, Dayreni Llano, Ella Mangerson, Samantha Meli, Sloane Millar, Azula Partee, Jaden Pelson, Gisu Rafaat, Erin Reddy, Kiera Reddy, Ella Rosario, Karina Simeon, Mila Smith, Josephine Stoehr, Claire Tejani, Madison Ulloa, Abigail Vatel, Dylan Whitenack

Who Told U Student Choreographers: Miyana Holden* and Ella Lille Yerington* Music: Various Artists Mix by DJ MJ & DJ EJ Dance Team Dancers: Jenesis Bartholomew, Loren Bullen, Akeelah Binns, Sarai Dudley, Genevieve Fitzpatrick*, Aniya Kirkland, Angelique Lopez, Soleil Peña, Ali Schuman*, Olivia Sperling, Suri Sun, Jasper Whiteley*

B R I EF PAUS E

*Denotes Excellence in the Arts certificate program acceptance

ACT TWO The Comeback Choreographers: Alysa Delerme and Nkenge Walcott MS Step Team: Mia Alleyne, Alex Arniotis, Christian Asamoah, Samara Charles, Camille China, Sophie Cooperman, Maya Gadsby, Zachary Gordon, Ava Guzman, Dakori Horsfall, Deina Horsfall, Amanda James, Poppy Johnson, Savannah Parks, Autumn Pelissier, Sloane Millar, Gisu Rafaat, Tochukwu Ugboajah

I’m Only Choreographer: Sam Turner Music: Human by Rag’n’Bone Man Advanced Senior Dancers: Laila Baluk*, Cecilia Berkley*, Anna Sophia Chamorro*, Genevieve Fitzpatrick*, Miyana Holden*, Ella Lille Yerington*, Elena Piquet*, Ezekiel Wise*

Momentum Guest Choreographer: Lisa Nevada Music: Peter Jones 8th Grade, Semester 1 Dancers: Lila Dubin, Jorel Headley, Silas Hoffman, George Jigarjian, Avery Kelly, Grace King, Aurelien Lampert, Tess Meli, Nyla Moise, Mia Pasquariello, Gabby Pipitone, Jackson Rodriguez-Miarmi, Emma Schlesinger, Maisie Schneider, Harry Stoehr, Lila Suter-Chung, Stella Taendler, Aviva Treister, Isabel Warwick This piece was also inspired by Carolyn Adams—former Paul Taylor dancer, teacher, and current Director at The Taylor School. The students and I worked with elements from Ms. Adams’ class over several sessions together. We played with the physicality of swings, the grace of balance and suspension, and the momentum of traveling through space. The dancers embodied and connected with this movement very naturally, so it was great fun to bring these elements together to create this dance. Momentum highlights the strength and grace every performer brings to these foundational yet powerful movements.

The momentum and energy each dancer brought to class and to this piece was great inspiration! Thank you all for your work and thank you Ms. Hacker for your constant support.

Never Land Is Home Choreographer: Sam Turner Music: Lost Boy by Ruth B. B Block Dancers: Akeelah Binns, Tessa Cooper, Konatsu Iwai, Devan Jiang, Aniya Kirkland, Mia Pineda*, Jasper Whiteley* H Block Dancers: Mila Bassu Arbui, Margaret Cochran, Sylvie Dorsch, Sarai Dudley, Isabelle Gerling*, Nina Harris*, Sadie Schoenberger*, Alice Shinder, Olivia Sperling, Suri Sun, Drew Waldman*

Giddy Up Choreographer: Ashley Hacker and dancers Music: Shania Twain 7th Grade, Semester 1 Dancers: Olive Baird, Leo Cohen, Simon Dull, Sarah Etienne, Grace Garner, Josephine George, Martina Gerardino Galarraga, Hayden Glaser-Lin, Eytan Goldberg, Zoey Hawthorne, Dakori Horsfall, Caitlin McGovern, Sylvia Milstein, Ava O’Connor, Lucy Plosser, Julian Richards, Zoe Steele, Ana Wisk

Madness Student Choreographer: Soleil Peña Music: Ruelle Tower Dancers: Charlotte Arzouian, Samara Charles, Ruth Cheng, Lila Dubin, Alessandra Lisk, Aviva Treister, Tochukwu Ugboajah Understudy: Maya Gadsby

Embrasser la Beauté (embraced beauty) Repertoire Choreographer: Sam Turner Music: Dead Already by Thomas Newman Advanced Dancers: Laila Baluk*, Cecilia Berkley*, Anna Sophia Chamorro*, Genevieve Fitzpatrick*, Eden Golomb, Eve Harris, Miyana Holden*, Ella Lille Yerington*, Angelique Lopez, Elena Piquet*, Ali Schuman*, Ezekiel Wise*

*Denotes Excellence in the Arts certificate program acceptance

Note about our theater lighting: Thanks to a generous gift from the late Robert Martinson ’59 in support of technical theater improvements, Technical Theatre Director, David Higham has been working with lighting technicians from Roundabout Theatre Technical Workforce Development Program to upgrade our lighting equipment. We’re currently installing 179 new LED lighting instruments, as well as a new power and distribution system that will provide not only a more professional, and flexible palette for design, but will also be significantly more energy efficient—reducing the wattage usage of every instrument by 1/4. In addition to the theater lighting, we’ll be retrofitting 60 units to LED for use in the Chapel as well.

Additional Thanks To: David Higham.................................................................................................Lighting Design Annakaecia Clarke........................................... Assistant Lighting Design (MS & Clubs) Quinn Marloe................................................................................................................... Sound Faculty Helpers: Sarah Bates, Stephen Bates, Andrew Cooper-Leary, Christian Jones, Michael Junsch, Melinda Lvovsky, Amanda Rose, Francesca Walker, Mariko Watt, Erin White, Terra Windham, Maddy Wyatt

Our Production Would Not Be Possible without the Generous Support of: John Rankin Interim Head of School Michal Hershkovitz P’16, ’18 Assistant Head of School, Academics Sarah Bates Head of Upper School Daniel Doughty Head of Middle School Michael S. Robinson Head of Arts Ashley Hacker Performing Arts Department Chair The members of the Performing Arts faculty, the Engagement & Communications Department, the Admissions Department, the Poly Prep IT staff, the Facilities and Maintenance Department, the Security staff, the Kitchen staff, and the Middle & Upper School deans.

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Join Us for These Upcoming Performing Arts Events Spring Vocal Music Concert Thursday, April 18, 2024 7:00 PM | MEMORIAL CHAPEL Special Reunion Performing Arts Showcase Saturday, April 20, 2024 12:30 PM | POLY ARTS CENTER TERRACE Spring Instrumental Music Concert Thursday, April 25, 2024 7:00 PM | MEMORIAL CHAPEL Middle School Musical: Lionel Bart’s Oliver! Jr. Book, Music and Lyrics by Lionel Bart Friday, May 17, 2024 7:00 PM | RICHARD PERRY THEATRE Saturday, May 18, 2024 2:00 PM | RICHARD PERRY THEATRE

Stay tuned for more information about our upcoming events!