Showcase
A T O
School of Dance Virtual
L A W R E N C E
V I R T U A L H O N O R
A R T S
E V E N T O U R
G R A D U A T I N G
2 0 2 0
S E N I O R S
C E N T E R
MAY 2020
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Showcase END OF YEAR SENIOR VIRTUAL
School of Dance L A W R E N C E
A R T S
C E N T E R
M AY 23, 2020
DA N C E STA FF
HANAN MISKO, School of Dance Director AMY HOPE, School of Dance Coordinator CYNTHIA CREWS, Artistic Director of Lawrence Ballet Theatre DA N C E FAC U LTY
WANWAN CAI Chinese Classical Dance
KRYSTYNA HILDING Ballet
PAIGE COMPARATO Ballet, Pointe
BETSY MCCAFFERTY Kinder Ballet/Preschool Dance
CYNTHIA CREWS Ballet
HANAN MISKO Ballet, Jazz
STEPHANIE DAY Little Movers, Intro to Ballet
ELIZABETH NEWELL Little Movers, Intro to Ballet
HOPE DEYOUNG-DANIELS Ballet
AMANDA PINTORE Contemporary, Wee Dance
TRISTIAN GRIFFIN Modern, Ballet, Contemporary
ASHLEY SANDEFUR Pilates
JUSTIN HARBAUGH Musical Theatre, Jazz, Tap
ANNIE STARK Irish Step Dance
DONNA JO HARKRIDER Tap
MAYA TILLMAN-RAYTON Hip Hop
JEREL HILDING Ballet
Emerson Easley DANCE TITLE: What’s
the Use
COMPOSER/MUSIC ARTIST: Björk
MUSIC TITLE: It’s
Oh So Quiet Comparato
CHOREOGRAPHER: Paige
Emmy started ballet at the Lawrence Arts Center when she was 12, auditioning for Lawrence Ballet Theatre in 2015. Over the next five years, Emmy performed at Regional Dance America with Lawrence Ballet Theatre at multiple universities across the country. In 2019, Emmy received a full-ride scholarship to the twoweek National Choreography Intensive at Sam Houston State University in Texas. During her time in the dance program, Emmy performed multiple roles in The Nutcracker: A Kansas Ballet, including Cavalry Officer, Bird, Strawberry, Dew Drop, Snake, and Snowflake. Among her many other performances over the years, Emmy also danced lead roles in both Thumbelina and The Snow Queen. At Lawrence High School, Emmy was involved in Fashion Club, Art Club, Philosophy Club, ceramics, and was a shadow athletic trainer for the LHS football, soccer, basketball and volleyball teams.
Dear audience member, Thank you for supporting me throughout my many years at the Arts Center dance program. My heart is full as I reminisce over the lifelong memories I have made while at LAC. The countless opportunities the faculty of the Arts Center have blessed me and other dancers with will be with me forever and I will always be grateful. The warm and welcoming community of the Arts Center made me feel safe during times when things were uncertain, and especially during the depressing times we are in now. The Arts Center has done everything they can to make the seniors feel as celebrated. My time at the Arts Center has formed me into who I am today. It taught me discipline, while also teaching me that sometimes it’s OK to let loose and laugh, even on hour three of a five-hour rehearsal. The fact that we dancers voluntarily attend long and tedious rehearsals shows that dance is more than an after-school sport to us, dance is a community — a second home. Without you there would be no shows to perform, nothing to showcase, and nothing to work for when we go to the studio. I cannot put into words how grateful I am for the time I have spent at the Arts Center. Everyone involved in our success has made me feel loved and proud of what I have accomplished. The support you as an audience member have shown us is unmatched. The feeling in my chest during every bow I took on that stage will never be forgotten. I cherish every moment spent on the stage and in the studio, and I will always wish I could go back and be there again. This place will be held as close as possible to my heart forever.
Emerson Easley, a.k.a. Barbie
Xavier Murray DANCE TITLE: Xavier’s
Senior Solo MUSIC TITLE: Getting Ready to Get Down COMPOSER/MUSIC ARTIST: Josh Ritter CHOREOGRAPHER: Donna Jo Harkrider Xavier’s first experience with dance was a tap class at the age of 8 or 9. He later rejoined class as a freshman, and has been tapping for five years. During his high school career, he has participated in a plethora of extracurricular activities including Boy Scouts, where he earned Eagle Scout rank. Xavier performed with a homeschool drama group where he also took many theater classes. One summer he performed in Much Ado About Nothing with Summer Youth Theatre at the Arts Center. Next year he plans to attend Johnson County Community College to study biology.
Dear Arts Center Audience, Thank you so much for all your support throughout the years. When I first joined tap, way back when, I was only 8 or 9 years old, and danced only one year. I rejoined my freshman year of highschool. Over the years of tap I have learned much and have made memories that I look back on fondly. One time my tap shoe flew off accidentally and hit my teacher in the leg, and the next week when I came into class all the boys had learned how to shuffle and have their shoes fly off! During my years in tap I have had wonderful teachers who have helped me with my timing and technique. When I rejoined tap, Donna Jo Harkrider was my teacher. She and Jeremy Ims helped me to be more confident in my tap moves and skill, and to have fun while I danced. My weekly tap classes at the Arts Center have been a really great source of joy in my life. While I didn’t perform in many shows during my time at the Arts Center, I have enjoyed going to watch the plays and dances the Arts Center has put on. I will miss it very much. Thank you again for all your support! Sincerely, Xavier B. Murray
Samantha Dunham DANCE TITLE: Feeling
MUSIC TITLE: Addict
with a Pen (Instrumental Cover) Song by Twenty One Pilots, Instrumental Cover by Screen on my Chest, Edited by Melissa Garber CHOREOGRAPHER: Samantha Dunham COMPOSER/MUSIC ARTIST: Original
Sammi started dancing at age 5 at the Lawrence Community Center, but soon switched to ballet classes at the Lawrence Arts Center. Since then, she has performed in dozens of Arts Center productions. Sammi joined Lawrence Ballet Theatre in 2013. The company has given her the chance to learn new choreography and perform extensively. Her favorite role in an LBT show was Giselle. She will forever be grateful for that opportunity. Sammi is graduating as valedictorian from Veritas Christian School. While at Veritas, Sammi enjoyed participating in choir and drama. She is especially proud to be selected as assitant director for the production, The Outsiders. Next year, Sammi plans to attend UMKC Conservatory for dance while also auditioning for ballet companies.
Dear laptop-viewers, HDMI-connectors, and all the fairly un-technologically challenged, Thank you. Thank you for supporting dance. You supported it before the world stopped turning; you’re supporting it now. What’s more, you’re supporting a group of dancers whose world stopped turning at (what feels like) the worst possible time. Viewing this may seem an unimportant act, but you are what makes this a show. Concert dance was never intended to be without an audience-that’s why it’s called “concert” dance. This show was intended to be performed to an audience of 200 after months of rehearsal. To be quite honest, at the time I’m writing this, one senior has a fully choreographed solo and the group dance is a full five seconds in length. I’d ask you all to be considerate, but I know that you already will be. You are the people who told us we looked amazing as clunky 5-year-olds, who hyped us up before the audition, who celebrated when the cast list went up, who held us after we fell on stage. More than that, you are the ones who cared enough about the class of 2020 that you searched a link to watch a pre-recorded video of us performing basementmanufactured choreography to a minimal audience. You have already been more considerate and compassionate than you may ever grasp. We, the Lawrence Arts Center’s graduating class of 2020, are truly grateful.
Samantha Dunham
Matilda Learned DANCE TITLE: Reminiscing
COMPOSER/MUSIC ARTIST: Lorde
MUSIC TITLE: A World Alone
CHOREOGRAPHER: Elizabeth
Lollar
Matilda began dancing at the Lawrence Arts Center at the age of 3. After taking classes on and off, she became fully dedicated at the age of 12. She joined Lawrence Ballet Theatre at 14, making this her fifth year. Matilda says she has loved dancing alongside amazing people, and has made lifelong friends at the Arts Center. One of her favorite roles was as a snake in the The Nutcracker: A Kansas Ballet because it was with one of her best friends, Emerson Easley. Matilda will graduate from Lawrence Free State High School where she was involved in the choir program as a member of Chamber Choir. Next year, she will be studying aerospace engineering in the University of Kansas Honors Program.
Dear Virtual Viewers, While this year has not ended how many of us expected, we are making the most of what we can and I thank you for supporting us as we create closure for our last year dancing at the Lawrence Arts Center. All of us took our last class and performed as a part of this dance program for the last time without even knowing it. While we are able to dance on the stage one last time, it is certainly not normal. I could list many life skills I have learned by progressing through the dance program but the most prominent is what I was able to teach myself. Dancing has always brought me joy and that is why I have continued this far. I have not always felt confident when trying new things or taking risks either in dance or any part of my life. But when I am pushed, be it by myself or others, I have always been satisfied with the outcome. When asked why I dance or what I plan to “do� with it, many people are surprised that I have never considered trying to pursue a career in dance. It is simply something that I enjoy doing and even though it is only recreational, I know that it truly adds something to my life. So, what I am trying to tell you is that you should search for things that add something to your life. The main goal should be to enjoy what you do and feel like you aren’t doing it for anyone else. As I close this chapter of my life, I hope to continue finding ways to fulfill myself whether that is through dance or a newfound passion.
Matilda Learned
Elizabeth Lollar DANCE TITLE:
Emphasis Trigg
COMPOSER/MUSIC ARTIST: Ben
MUSIC TITLE:
Insomnia
CHOREOGRAPHER: Elizabeth
Lollar
Graduating from Free State High School, Elizabeth has been dancing since she was two years old. She has been at the Arts Center since 2011 and a company member of the Lawrence Ballet Theatre (LBT) for six years. Elizabeth has enjoyed teaching as an assistant in classes from Little Movers through Ballet I, and is a three-time recipient of the Carmine Ballere Scholarship. She has choreographed two pieces for LBT — one in 2018 and one this last year — and has appreciated working with her fellow company members to bring her creative ideas to life. Next year, Elizabeth will be attending the University of Missouri-Kansas City to pursue a BFA in dance through their conservatory program. She is very excited to continue her career in dance.
Dear family, friends, and audience members, I like to joke that I’ve never been on a real date because dance is my boyfriend. This would be depressing except for the fact that I love it so much. When I step onto the stage the only thing I can do is try my best to leave the audience with a feeling of the joy of movement. That feeling is worth all the physical pain and missing out on “normal” things as a teenager. One unique experience I have had through the Arts Center has been assistant teaching so many young dancers and watching them progress from Preschool Dance all the way through Ballet I and beyond. Teaching the littles has not only helped me grow as a dancer, but taught me valuable skills such as patience, gratitude, and that it is ok to need a hug when you’re feeling sad. Working with LBT to choreograph my pieces has shown me that not everything is exactly how I see it. A choice of perspective can change the success of anything and mentality is often the only thing in my way. I have gained so much from the Arts Center community and I will cherish the memories I have made.This place is so special and I know I will continue to come back to it to support my friends performing and connect with the amazing people I have been lucky enough to grow up with.
Virtual hugs, Elizabeth Lollar
Thank You for a Season of Support! Ann Dean Photography Harrison Family Fund of the Douglas County Community Foundation
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