Kent School’s dance program has expanded in the last five years under the leadership of Ms. Morris. The dance program has relocated to the pre-engineering building in town and acquired two more coaches: Ocean Severini and Heather Holohan-Guarnieri.

When Ms. Morris first arrived at Kent, there were eight students enrolled in the program in the fall, sixteen in the winter, and four in the spring. Today the dance program has far more students each term. And five years ago the dance program only had two shows a year, while now they perform three. Ms. Morris explained the thought process behind hiring two new coaches by saying, “the talent of the students deserves better teachers.” Holohan-Guarnieri teaches the beginner and intermediate Jazz; Severinin teaches intermediate Ballet. Ms. Morris teaches beginner Ballet and the beginner modern dance. Students can also take part in Hip Hop, K-pop, and lyrical styles of dance by pursuing their own choreography.  

This year the captains are Lara Li ‘19 and Casey Weiner ‘18. They are involved in the dance program all three terms.Weiner has been doing more lyrical and contemporary modern ballet this term. While Lara is trying to expand her style by doing K-pop, Hip-Hop, Jazz, Ballet, and her own choreography.

For the upcoming show 11 of the 14 dances are student choreographed. Ms. Morris comments, “it’s pretty awesome because that is a lot of opportunities for the students.” Everyone in the dance program is in the ensemble, but if a student is in the advanced level classes, then that student can take part in the company and choreograph dances.

Ms. Morris explains, “The size and the presence of the dance program has really changed in my time. I don’t think that is me, I think that is the school investing in dance and letting it happen and more students having an interest in dance.”