The Winter Dance Concert packed King Theatre for three nights, as in years past. With work ranging from classical Indian to slapstick vaudeville, the concert was an opportunity for boys and girls, Classes IV through I with varying degrees of dance experience, to showcase their talent. This year’s concert included thirteen dances and nine student choreographers.
Kelli Edwards of the performing arts faculty said, “I am very proud of all these student choreographers. They created the dances entirely on their own and were responsible for costumes and lighting, as well as runningtheir own rehearsals. The reason the dance concert gets better every year is because they try to outdo themselves every year, and they succeed.”
In addition to classic ballet and a high-energy dance club piece, the concert also included a piece choreographed by professional dancer/choreographer and Milton alumnus, Samuel Potts ’94. Sam, most recently known for his work as lead dancer with New Jersey’s American Repertory Ballet and his company, Nimbus Dance Works, was the choreographer for Bloodlines 1944, a performance that, as he describes, “stands alone as a compelling performance piece, but equally important is the process that leads to the final production. Students connect with someone from their life who was alive in the year 1944. The piece serves as a kind of channel for the dancers to explore that era and the person they choose.” Sam visited campus for several days in January to work with the full cast of student dancers performing in Bloodlines 1944.