VPAA dance strand held their Dance concert on May 2nd and 3rd. Their theme, “The shape of thinking,” encapsulated the thoughts behind movement.
The 18 dance numbers incorporated features from VPAA, soloists, and ADC. The pieces also included numbers from classes, Ballet I, II, & III and Modern I, II, III, & IV.
“Every piece meant its own thing. All of my modern pieces had some kind of theme. It encapsulates that our movements have thought behind them,” said choreographer and dance teacher Katie Flint.
The dances used props, costumes, and eye-opening movements to incorporate the theme “The Shape of our Thinking.” The dance Red Between Us used a red rope to represent the Red string theory, showing how we are all connected.
The rehearsal process in the theater brought these ideas to life. “For example, with the red string theory, using a red rope for a dance. I came to them in February with this idea and how I wanted to incorporate this in the dance. The cool thing about using the ropes is we didn’t start using them until the week of, and so luckily it all came together,” said Flint.
Dancers got an interactive experience in not just the dancing techniques, but also in preparing the show as a whole.
“The may concert was more interactive for me because I got to do multiple things rather than just participate in one dance, This year I was a runner, which allowed me to meet new people, observe various technique classes, share jokes, and experience something new by making dancers smile before they took stage,” said dancer junior Aiyanna Nugent- Greenwood.
There were many helpers, along with the dancers, who helped bring the show together.
“Being backstage tech for dance was definitely a different experience than being backstage tech for theater. It was 10 times more stressful but also more enjoyable because of that. The dancers were all super nice and understanding, which was nice. I would do it again for sure if I was asked to,” said tech helper sophomore Rayne Arjona.
The Process of creating ideas for the show started in February, and in March, rehearsals started.
“As artists, we always get attached to our work, and I thank the students for that,” said Flint.
For the seniors in the program, this was their last show showcasing their Salem experience..
“Each year we have new seniors, and I want it to be special for them. Each year it’s special for the seniors and freshmen,” said Flint. “Each dancer finds something special about it for themselves, whether it’s their first or last.”
This show was special for all students and the audience involved. If you are interested in seeing more from the Salem dance department, you can stay updated with their performance schedule on the Salem High School calendar.
