A Note from our Artistic Director and Assistant Artistic Director

Artistic Statement

Thank you all for coming this afternoon! I am Atiya Pope, Artistic Director of this year’s Afternoon of Student Choreography (ASC). I have been dancing at Poly since I was in sixth grade, starting out in Young Dancers with Ms. Hacker, and now as one of the captains of Poly’s Dance Team and a student leader of the African Dance and Drum Club. ASC is very special to all of the dancers because it gives us a chance to be in charge and take full creative liberty both on the stage and behind the scenes.

To start the process, Mr. Turner tasked every dancer in Poly’s dance program to choreograph 30 seconds in any style to a song of their choice. This provided everyone with the opportunity to expand our creative toolboxes and explore our talents as dancers and as choreographers. We then had to expand our compositions to two minutes and present them to our classes. Many of the pieces that you will see stem from those in-class compositions. Having full creative control over what we envision and presenting it to our family and friends is the best part of ASC.

ASC also bridges the gap between people who dance in classes at Poly and those who do not. An invitation to choreograph is always extended to the entire student body, so the compositions in the show are created by dancers from a wide range of experiences, making each piece unique. Other performances that you will see include dances from clubs at Poly, including the Poly African Dance and Drum Club and the Dance Team.

Atiya Pope ’23

Hello! I’m Sophia Chamorro, Assistant Artistic Director of ASC. The dance genres in each of the pieces you will see vary, making for a more interesting production; no one dance is the same, but, instead, showcases a bit of the choreographers themselves. Of course, the dancers themselves are an integral part of making this production come to life. However, we recognize that it also could not have been done without the help of the Dance Department faculty, Mr. Turner, Ms. Hacker, and Dr. Gittens, who have been alongside the dancers for the past few weeks, guiding them through the process, always being more than willing to lend a helping hand, and nurturing courage and confidence in each individual. A shout-out to the dancers themselves who have worked incredibly hard to be able to bring their pieces to the stage is more than due. Thank you to all for the efforts you have made. As for the audience, thank you for your support; we hope you are able to fully enjoy the intricacy and beauty of each piece presented.

—Sophia Chamorro ’24