Under the shimmering glow of stage lights, the fencing studio transformed into a vibrant dance floor, alive with the energy of young performers. As the first notes of music floated through the air, a hush fell over the crowd, and then, with a synchronized leap, the dancers burst into motion, a blur of colors and movement that mesmerized the audience.
On Nov. 15 and 16, the Masters Dance Company presented its annual fall performance at 7 p.m. in the Fonseca Center fencing studio. The concert consisted of six unique dance styles: contemporary, modern jazz, hip-hop, ballet, dance hall, and flamenco.
The Masters Dance Company has 15 dancers, all of whom began rehearsing for this concert during preseason in August and have continued their practice Monday through Friday during co-curriculars. The concert ran for less than an hour, and was held in the Fencing Studio since the Claudia Boettcher Theatre is undergoing remediation.
Senior Juan Torres, who has been dancing with Dance Company since his freshman year, explained how he felt leading up to the performance, saying, “I’m so excited, honestly. Despite all the changes that have happened on campus, and in the DoPA department, the entire company has sort of embraced those differences and leaned into the change, and it makes it a lot more exciting to be a part of something that is somewhat different but still beautiful in a way.”
He continued, “Everyone has been working really hard. Our technique has improved tremendously, and none of that would have been able to happen if Ms. Edwards, our new dance teacher, wouldn’t have been here to make that possible. I think she has been a very key player in all of this and in embracing everything.”
Senior Amara Baker has also been in Dance Company since her freshman year. She describes how she feels being a part of the Dance Company now as a senior, knowing that the number of performances she has left with Dance Company are limited. “A lot of things have definitely changed over these past years that I’ve been here. I would say that Masters Dance Company has been my main thing at this school, so preparing to leave it behind has been difficult. I’m sure in the spring I’ll definitely be crying.”
Upper School dance teacher Melissa Edwards shared her experience so far with the Dance Company during her first year at Masters. “It’s been amazing. I love it. We started during pre-season, so we’ve been together since August. We really did a lot. We bonded, we danced, we did conditioning. We did some fun, choreography games. We really got to know each other and it was a great way to start the year. It’s like my little family here.”
Speaking about the recent performance Edwards said, “I am extremely proud of the dance concert last weekend. Some of the words used by dancers and audience alike were ‘incredible, professional, moving, and joyous.’ I think Masters Dance Company’s fall concert represented the intersection of rigor and joy perfectly.”
