Spring Dance Showcase Highlights Primary School Community

The Spring Dance Showcase was a night to remember! Dance teacher Taylor led the event, bringing together every Primary School class in an electrifying performance that demonstrated their self-expression and teamwork.

All grades embarked on a study of dance genres at the outset of the school year. They watched performance videos and learned the names of trailblazers who created styles or brought something new to the stage. Students noted the similarities and differences among dances and began to understand how they grew and evolved. “Dance stems from so many styles. Here we are now in 2023, and now we have branches of different genres that equally deserve to be recognized,” says Taylor of her approach to a broad dance education. 

Taylor had each class focus on one dance in particular, allowing for a deeper dive and laying the groundwork for the showcase. Preparations began in March. Taylor taught the steps bit by bit, relating moves to the dance vocabulary with which students were already familiar and making adjustments based on group feedback. Eventually students were able to expand on the basic steps and suggest ideas for partner work and formations, adding more tiers—and even props!— as they showed they were ready. Depending on the style, Taylor asked dancers to focus on “the groove” or “the lines” of their movement or think of a character to play. “They become different people when they perform,” observed Taylor. 

The last month of preparation was about turning a dance piece into a performance. How do you want your audience to feel? What kind of energy can you bring to make them see that? By asking these questions, Taylor afforded students agency and choice in their performance.

“When I said we were going to perform, not one kid was like, ‘I’m scared to do this,’” remembers Taylor, who introduced the idea of performance empathetically, even opening up to students about her own experience with nerves. She counseled that it’s often easier to overcome fears or try something new by dancing with friends and working toward the same goal together.

Indeed, helping students get excited about trying new things was her overarching goal. And what a success! Even students who couldn’t attend the final performance took the initiative to assist Taylor, offer feedback, and cheer on classmates during rehearsals. They all wanted to be part of this community moment.

Finally, the night of the showcase arrived and the gym was packed. Taylor (and students!) were excited to see their families, as well as many faculty and staff in attendance. “I’m so grateful they got to feel that love,” says Taylor. “I think they exceeded their own expectations because they certainly exceeded mine. It was one of those moments where it all fell into place and where the magic really sparked.”