For the first time, the Kent and Hotchkiss dance teams got to work together in a combined show that allowed dancers from both schools to collaborate and perform. On March 30th, each team got to bring something special on the stage. Ms. Holohan-Guarnieri, Kent’s Dance Director, mentioned how “psyched” she was for the dance show, in which each dancer got to show the crowd how talented they were. More than a dozen Kent students made the trip to Hotchkiss to watch their friends perform.

There were a total of 18 dancers from Kent School who made the trip to Hotchkiss. Some pieces were solos, like “Perfect Nights” by Amy Hwang. Amy’s dance was captivating because it had an upbeat tempo that brought an enthusiastic atmosphere to the theater. However, what made the dance particularly special was that Amy was the one who had choreographed it. 

There were also some astounding group dances like “Hit Me Up” by Maggie Barth, Sarah Benamar, Sophia Cherniavsky, Arwen del Real Sobiech, Liya Fu, Sasha Fung, Anqi Hou, Amy Hwang, Jenna Janiak-Anderson, Rachel Kahn, Michelle Lu, Adriana Malik, Nancy McLaughlin, Kama Pan, Sofia Sanabria,  Kaitlyn Shen, Addy Smith, Janet Wu. The dance was choreographed by Ms. Holohan-Guarnieri. “Hit Me Up” is an energetic, fun, and spunky song from the movie Happy Feet about being confident and sharing that confidence with the world. The dance was significant because it was a message from the KSDE to welcome everyone and to join the dance party. 

Another terrific element was that the show combined two distinct styles: ballet and hip-hop. Hotchkiss’ dance team had the elegance of ballet, while the Kent dance team brought the vibrant rhythm of hip-hop. Ms. Holohan-Guarnieri said, “Most of Hotchkiss’s program was ballet only.”  It felt like merging two different worlds into one spectacular show. This fusion of styles made the dance unique and unforgettable, leaving a lasting impression on everyone who watched.

The dance show was a huge success, but it also took a lot of practice to pull off. Ms. Holohan-Guarnieri said that the dance team has been practicing “since the beginning of the winter term. ” It was certainly worth it.