Students in the Upper School Dance Program performed in the “Time” Dance concert March 7-8. The production featured 18 different pieces of choreography.
The second show included an award ceremony for the performers. Rheanna Vradiy ’25 won awards for Commitment to Dance and Outstanding Choreographer, Ethan Chen ’26 won an award for Dance Activism and Ella Temple ’25 won an award for Outstanding Performer.
Upper School Performing Arts Teacher Queala Clancy said the dances aimed to highlight dance as a meaningful art form.
“Our consistent motto emphasizes the importance of diversifying the concert stage, showcasing cultural, classic and contemporary works,” Clancy said. “For us, dance transcends flashy lights and dramatic hair flips.We approach it with the goal of educating and entertaining our campus, conveying that dance is a respected art form that holds significant value.”
Summer Park ’27 performed in a solo piece “Running Up That Hill,” a remix of Kate Bush’s 1985 classic reimagined by musical artist Samuel Kim. She said this piece was particularly meaningful because it allowed her to express various emotions she was feeling in different aspects of her life.
“I really wanted to connect with the music on a deeper level, not just technically but emotionally,” Park said. “I tried to channel some of the stress and challenges I’ve been facing in my life [like] schoolwork, balancing dance, and just growing up.”
Temple, who is a studen in Contemporary Dance Methods, said her favorite dance to perform was “Ribs” because it centered around the theme of nostalgia.
“This dance was meaningful because it really made me take the time to pause and reflect on how fast time has been passing,” Temple said. “It helped with internalizing the emotions that come with that inevitability.”
Vradiy choreographed and performed her solo “Wildflowers and Wine” and her trio “Ribs.” Vradiy said both pieces allowed her to explore different aspects of time through movement.
“I challenged myself to choreograph to a much slower and emotional song, as well as incorporated some rhythmic gymnastics by using my ribbon for part of it,” Vradiy said. “’Ribs,’ on the other hand, was a far more personal piece, which I choreographed to convey the bittersweet feeling of growing up.”
Vradiy said she learned to become more adaptable in her dancing styles.
“This show, in particular, challenged me to live in so many different narratives, even if it was for simply two or three minutes,” Vradiy said. “As difficult as it was, I learned how to be a far more versatile performer, switching and immersing myself in each dance.”
“Ribs,” “Running Up That Hill” and “Wildflower and Wine” were part of the eight dances choreographed by students. Clancy said the creative versatility behind the student’s control of choreography allows for more meaningful performances.
“If a choreographer believes that a particular genre effectively conveys their intended message, they are likely to immerse themselves in that specific style,” Clancy said. “This flexibility allows each choreographer to focus on their creative intuition while crafting a piece that is both meaningful and impactful. Ultimately, the merge of music and movement results in a distinct artistic expression that reflects the individual vision of the choreographer.”
