PerformingArts Where Everyone Belongs HB’s program instills creativity, passion and community The explanation of how to have a “dancer’s body” is clearly outlined on the door as students enter the dance studio located in the Adelaide Cobb Ward ’51 Classic Building:
It is that same spirit HOW TO HAVE A ” of belonging that “DANCER ’S BODY extends throughout the Performing Arts program at Hathaway Brown. All students are nurtured creatively and supported in their development as artists in music, dance and theatre. “We have a program that is broad and inclusive enough for any student to try something new,” says Laura Main Webster ’91, Performing Arts department chair. “And our program is also engaging for students who want to pursue opportunities beyond HB, including honors classes equal to those found at performing arts schools.”
1) HAVE A BODY 2) DANCE
The Performing Arts program spans all ages on campus beginning in the Infant & Toddler Center through the Upper School years. “To have vibrant music and dance educators teaching at the youngest levels means that we are pedagogical and teaching to the whole arts life of a person,” says Webster.
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Moving with Purpose
HB’s dance program is one of the oldest, continuously running programs in the country. Early Childhood students focus on creative movement and explore how their bodies move. It’s not unusual to see three and four year olds in dance class pretending to be sea creatures or riding around the studio on an imaginary pony. Primary School students focus on improvisation, technique and storytelling. A recent group of first graders were seen zipping up their imaginary astronaut suits, riding on an invisible spaceship, and thinking about how their bodies would float without gravity or how they would react to an alien invasion! “Students are invited, even at the youngest ages, to think creatively and to move with purpose,” says Jenny Burnett, dance teacher and co-director of Fellowships in Creative Arts. “We practice dancing using effortful qualities and give all students the opportunity to improvise during their dance classes.” Middle School students focus on modern dance technique, heavier composition in small groups, creating solos and more emotional storytelling. Recent classes explored how students could express themselves in a healthy way through dance, whether that’s expressing rage through strong physical movements or calm through serene, gentle motions. In the Upper School, dance is an elective where students can focus on technique and choreography. “At the heart of Performing Arts in the Upper School is a commitment to student-driven work,”
