On May 21th and 22nd, the Spring Dance Recital took place in Mattison Auditorium. With over 20 students performing, it was an amazing and memorable night for both performers and audience members. Each performance was highlighted each dancer’s talents and passions towards their dance. Truly, all of the hard work and the dedication each dancer put in towards the program paid off. The crowd was filled with enthusiasm and excitement as the night began.

There were a total of 11 dancers who performed on the night. Some were performing solo pieces while others were working as a collective group. An interesting part was that most of the dance were choreographed by students themselves. For example, the performance called “Formation,” set to “Formation” by Beyoncé, was performed by a group of seniors, for whom it was their last time performing in the name of KSDE ( Kent School Dance Ensemble). The recital proceeded with a piece called “This Town,” the choreography was choreographed by Mrs. Holohan-Guarnieri, of which every member of KSDE was a part. The long night finished off with “We’re All In This Together” which was based on the original choreography of Kenny Ortega. 

Tara Edwards ‘23, a junior who joined the KSDE this year, really enjoyed the experience. She says, “Through spring term, I’ve had the honor of meeting so many new students from all grades, and made so many wonderful memories with them. Being able to bring the student choreography pieces to life through our dance tech week especially made me excited for the show and bonded the dance ensemble even closer.” Tara really enjoyed a contemporary dance called “Jealous,” choreographed by Ms. Holohan-Guarnieri. “The piece beautifully portrayed different types of relationships, and inspired each of us to use expressive emotion to bring the dance to life. This piece truly embodied power, emotional emphasis, and courage to really set the scene of the story.” 

The Ensemble also celebrated and thanked featured dancers, KSDE Captains Missy Quinlan and Neely Ewy, the audience, and Kent School Maintenance Staff. Without their guidance, this night would not have been possible.