In recent years, our dance program at Kent School has grown significantly, expanding to include classes for beginners and advanced dancers and master-classes in categories that range from ballet to hip-hop. Most recently, members represented Kent School at the 3rd annual New England Prep School Dance Festival at Northfield Mount Hermon School for the first time. The dancers attended many classes and performed pieces for the festival attendees.

This expansion of offerings is thanks to the efforts of our faculty member Ms. Morris, who, in addition to teaching English, is also the head of the dance department. Dancers in beginner classes are taught by Ms. Morris herself, while advanced classes in Ballet are instructed by Ms. Ocean Severini, and Beginner and Advanced Jazz are taught by Ms. Heather Holohan-Guarnieri.

The Kent Dance Ensemble puts on gorgeous dance showcases each term, which include a majority of student-choreographed pieces. Our student dancers are dedicated to their sport and art, and face rigorous classes that build teamwork as well as train them to further themselves physically and artistically. The group travels each afternoon to the Pre-E building in town, which houses our dance facilities, or to the dance room in Hoerle Hall.

With Ms. Heather Holohan-Guarnieri, students engage in a jazz class that contains a combination of traditional Jazz with Jazz Funk.  There is occasional choreography that incorporates some Modern and Musical Theatre dance elements as well.

Under Ms. Ocean Severini, our most dedicated ballet dancers attend Advanced Ballet to learn from a curriculum that includes technique, pointe, and contemporary conditioning classes. “Dance,” Ms. Severini says, “much like sports, takes physical training and teamwork, and as an art, it requires creative expression.”

During class, ballet students focus not only on improving their technique, but also on strengthening their whole bodies by spending a half-hour on Barre. As Ms. Holohan-Guarnieri explains, “Dance is a whole body art that engages and utilizes all muscles groups, and requires great control that comes from core strength and stability.” In her jazz courses, Ms. Heather begins each class with exercises for core strengthening followed up by rigorous endurance training. Added together, students are able to access a regimen that is designed to help them lengthen muscles while increasing flexibility and strength.

Our dancers are committed to dance as an art form as well as as an athletic commitment. Lara Li ‘19, a recognizable face for dancers and many students who attend school dance showcases, is one of this year’s dance captains and a dedicated dancer. She describes dance as an art form that allows her to join her body together with music, and that is “both about aesthetics, how the shapes align, and also about learning to follow your body and the music.” Dance is very physically challenging, but Lara reveals that, “the degree of physicality is vital, and it’s what allows you to have complete expression.”

Lastly, it is important not to forget that Kent School’s dance program offers an amazing environment for the growth of student dancers from all different dance backgrounds and at varying levels in their training. Ms. Severini emphasizes, “Dancing as a performing art is a rewarding outlet for any student, regardless of experience because it is exploratory, creative, physically challenging, and fun!”