On a recent snowy afternoon, Upper School students filed into the Assembly Room dressed in loungewear and socks and spread out among the physically distanced desks. Dance Club instructor Sarah Rutledge sat at the front of the room, headphones on, with her Zoom screen displayed on the large monitor hanging over the stage behind her. The in-person Upper School students opened their laptops to join the session and their friends who were Zooming in from home.
“We see you, dancers!” began Ms. Rutledge, beaming a big smile. “We’re so happy to have you and make art together in the most bizarre year ever!”
Today’s Dance Club rehearsal was a special day for “showings” in preparation for their first ever virtual concert (currently scheduled for March 2021). Dances ranged from six-member group numbers to solo acts and were all choreographed by a member of Dance Club.
After a few housekeeping items, the students swiftly organized a line-up to demonstrate their works-in-progress for peer review and constructive critique. The first to the “stage” was a group of six dancers who had recorded their individual works and then stitched each video together to form a cohesive piece for Zoom.
“It’s so awesome that you put that together,” said one student after their virtual performance. “Dancing virtually is so hard!”
“I liked how you’re playing with stillness,” commented Ms. Rutledge, reflecting on parts of the piece where dancers appeared “frozen.”
The Assembly Room quickly came to life as joy and dance filled the space as the second group began showcasing their piece, which was choreographed to Beyonce’s “Already,” in person while two members danced from home on Zoom. Those in person were appropriately distanced with the help of white markers on the floor.
“You’re so in-sync,” shared a club member after viewing. “And to do that virtually – that’s amazing!” She emphasized the connection felt between the whole group despite being in different locations.
“Think about timing and play with rhythm,” offered Dance teacher Sam Sherman. “The energetic movements will stand out!”
“Framing and angles are also important tools at your disposal,” added Drama teacher Robert Thaxton-Stevenson, who will aid in in-person filming, as well as editing together the final production.
Following the third in-person performance to the song “You’re the One” by Kaytranda and Syd, a classmate cheered, “I loved the energy of that. Just what I needed on this Tuesday afternoon!”
Positive feedback flowed throughout the rehearsal as dancers twirled, leaped and moved around the space. One student complimented a fellow choreographer saying, “You really executed your goal from the beginning – bringing out the lyrical parts of the music.”
Mr. Thaxton-Stevenson suggested that students play with features that are not typically available to them during a “normal” dance production. “You can use close up shots, specific lighting, and more.” Ms. Rutledge echoed his comments, underscoring that they would need to have their storyboards ready to share with the instructors a few weeks prior to production.
“Think about how your costumes will show up on camera too,” added Ms. Sherman. “Use Zoom to highlight what we’re doing. Make interesting compositional choices.”
Once the dancers were finished sharing, Ms. Rutledge said, “You come here for comfort, release and expression and it’s coming together beautifully,” She continued, praising, “Congratulations to those putting yourselves out there – new choreographers and new members. Veterans, I see you pushing yourselves!”
Adding to Ms. Rutledge’s remarks, a senior commented, “I just wanted to say I’m so proud of this club for putting this together. As a senior, I think this is so special!”
We wish our dancers the best of luck in their virtual performance and cannot wait to see the final production!
