Dance Haven showcases talent and unity

Luci DiBonaventura ‘25

Contributor

On the evening of May 19, Dance Haven featured their second performance of the year. The student-led dance groups performed different styles of dance like jazz, ballet, and contemporary, along with a variety of genres of music.

Dance Haven was a great way for the dancers to express themselves, showcase their skills and work and connect with each other.

Dance Haven participants were excited to showcase their hard work. While some of the performers had been dancing for years, others were new to dance.

Junior Jaina Livingstone, one of the leaders of Dance Haven along with junior Claire Ross and senior Emma Wei, believes Dance Haven is welcoming to anyone that wants to join.

“I think anyone can join Dance Haven as long as they’re willing to try new things and put in effort,” she said. “The commitment is up to your individual wants. I have rehearsals almost every single day of the week while some people have one once a week.”

The Dance Haven performance consisted of a total of 18 dances with different students choreographing each dance. Junior Sasha Binder choreographed a dance and is hoping to choreograph more in the future.

“I really enjoyed being able to choreograph and work with other dancers,” Binder said. “Time wise, it really depends on how many dances you choreograph—like, when I choreograph more than one dance it definitely takes a lot more time.”

Between the dances, senior hosts Ella Grossman and Archie Bracegirdle performed comic skits, including a memoriam slideshow of things lost at Strath Haven this year. This brought laughter and also encouraged the audience to have fun and play their own part to cheer the dancers up on the stage.

Sophomore member Violet Abrahamsson enjoyed the performance from the audience.

“I thought the dancers did a great job and everything was well put together,” she said. “I really enjoyed being part of it and cheering at the dancers on stage. Overall, I was very impressed with the performance and would definitely go to more in the future.”

The dancers’ hard work and dedication paid off, as it left many of the audience members pleased with the performance and wanting to come back.

The next performance will take place in December 2023.*

DANCE HAVEN CAPTIONS • ABOVE: Juniors Lanie and Amy Clark reach for each other’s hands during their duet at the Dance Haven show on May 19. TOP: Senior host speakers Archie Bracegirdle and Ella Grossman break out into a groovy, humorous dance during the Dance Haven show. RIGHT: Senior performer Amayah Wade pumps her chest to the rhythm of a dance song during her Dance team’s performance.

PHOTOS:

Of course, the Phanatic selfies were epic.

Lucy Karn ‘24 Reporter

At every concert and every performance, from the George H. Slick auditorium, to graduation at Neumann Unniversity, to the streets of Italy, music teacher Mr. John Shankweiler always directs Haven’s selective choral ensemble, the Silvertones.

But on May 6, the Philly Phanatic stole the show.

The Phanatic conducted the ensemble on the field at Citizens Bank Park, as the group performed the national anthem before the Phillies home game against the the Red Sox.

Shankweiler wasn’t entirely left out of the performance. The Phanatic gifted him a kiss.

“A dream come true,” he said.

The Silvertones have performed at Phillies’ games before. This time it was arranged via a connection of one of the students in the Silvertones.

The event was open to any Silvertones member who wanted to attend and sing. Families and friends were also invited to come and support the group by buying tickets and watching.

Shankweiler estimates that about a hundred people attended in support of the SIlvertones. For junior Michelle Ding this game was a good reminder of why she enjoys Silvertones and music.

“A lot of times, with early morning rehearsals and preparing for concerts with a lot of more difficult pieces, it can be easy to lose track of what it’s all about,” she said. “Singing at the Phillies was just a really cool, laid back experience that reminded us about all the exciting things we get to do.”

This performance was in between the two weeks of AP testing and offered students a chance to have fun and take a breather before diving into the last couple weeks of school.

The goal was to give the students a chance to have fun and make memories of performing in front of a stadium full of people.

“I just wanted them [the Silvertones] to have a fun night,” said Shankweiler.

Junior Henry Reacher had a moment of pleasant shock when the group walked out onto the huge field at Citizens Bank.

“Holy crap, I’m actually doing this right now,” he said. “This is crazy.”

The consensus among the Silvertones was that it was a great experience that brought them a lot of joy and reminded them of their love for singing.

“It was an experience for the ages,” Reacher said.*