Back in Motion

Windward Dance marks its return to campus in 2022 with two stunningly beautiful performances

Evening of Dance

This year’s Evening of Dance program featured work from a diverse collection of artists that represent a new hybridity and multiplicity in Dance. These artists are choreographers, filmmakers, graphic designers, directors, entrepreneurs, and more.

In their work with dancers in the Middle School Repertory Ensemble and Honors Dance 4: Dance Company classes, the artists stressed the importance of mental and physical agility and adaptability, speaking multiple creative languages, and the power of collaboration to ensure the vision is fully realized. Our dancers, in most processes, served as true collaborators or inspiration for the work, and through that discovered a newfound sense of ownership and engagement. What the dancers also found was a sense of community and camaraderie in the studio—something that was essential this year more than any other.

A highlight for these student-artists was working with professional choreographer for the concert stage and film, Laura Gorenstein Miller, who is also a Windward parent (Hugo Miller ‘23). Laura’s work, Begin Again, was a four movement piece performed to music “Stabat Mater” by Giovanni Battista Pergolesi. This was the premiere of three of the four movements, including a re-staging of the third movement, which first premiered in February 2002 on The Milwaukee Ballet. Other artists on the program included: USC Glorya Kaufman School of Dance alumni Ardyn Flynt, Sophia Oddi, and Justin Pham, as well as Juilliard Dance graduate Taylor Massa and London Contemporary’s Sadie Wilking.

What also contributed to the experience of these young artists was the ability to create in our brand new Dance studio in the Academic Hub. The space has been inspiring and has pushed dancers to reach for more. Every day as we entered the studio, we were greeted by the expansive windows looking out towards the park, the incredible height of the ceiling, and the beautiful natural light that poured into the room. The space not only influenced the creation of strong artistic work, but a strong work ethic as well.

It is worth noting that the February 17 performance in the Irene Kleinberg Theater was our first live performance after a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic. With this in mind, we lead with grace, vulnerability, joy, and deepest gratitude for the opportunity to return to the stage and share months of hard work with both our live audience and those streaming from home.

Back in Motion

Continued

Spring Dance Concert

Windward’s Spring Dance Concert, which is the culminating showcase for Windward Dance and features choreographic work developed over a three-month period by students throughout the department, is always a big draw for audiences and a point of great nostalgia for student-dancers grades 7 through 12, who take this time to reflect on the months and years past that led to this moment. Many of the dancers who perform

Notable Programs Windward Students Are Attending this Summer: • Berkeley School of Music • USC Glorya Kaufman School of Dance • Interlochen Center for the Arts • Frenchwoods Performing Arts Festival • Lines Ballet Summer Intensive • University of Arizona Summer Dance

Intensive • Kaatsbaan Ballet Intensive • Francisco Gella’s Pre-professional

Dancer Institute • The Ballet Clinic

Graduating Seniors continuing their study of Performing Arts at the Collegiate level:

Dance: • Fordham Alvin Ailey Dance Program, BFA • Duke University, BA • The George Washington University, BA • École Nationale de Cirque • Tulane University • University of Michigan • Trinity University • Alumni: Arts Umbrella Canada

Music: • Oberlin Conservatory • Berklee College of Music • Yale University • Study abroad in Spain

Theatre: • NYU Tisch in this show have also participated in our Winter concert, An Evening of Dance, which features all guest choreographic work. What makes the Spring Dance Concert so special is the opportunity students have to utilize the tools gained from the creative processes with professionals to develop their own methodologies and creative visions, and see the work through from ideation to execution. They must serve as choreographers, performers, directors, music editors, costumers, production managers, and more in preparation for the show.

This collection of student work ranging from ballet to contemporary to jazz and from solo to large group work was presented in the Lewis Jackson Memorial Sports Center and was truly a celebration of the creativity and spirit of these young artists. Parents, students, faculty, administration, prospective families and alumni joined to witness this powerful showcase of student artistic expression.

The evening ended with a special presentation to our graduating Seniors during the bow, while a host of Windward Dance alumni (including James Gersh, Ava Green and Billie Morton), in addition to other alumni like Eli Brosmith, Ivy Pomerance and more looked on from the audience in a show of support for their fellow dancers/friends/siblings and the program.

Both An Evening of Dance and our Spring Dance Concert felt like a full 360 moment for faculty and students alike, and we look forward to the 2022-23 Performing Arts season at Windward.