Ada Shin ’25
Dance is among one of the most unique and universal forms of art, traversing across cultures and countries across the globe. On May 9th, St. Andrew’s Episcopal School’s Dance Company performed a stunning piece, beautifully expressing different types of dance along with a heartfelt message about moving forward in life as a girl in this world.
The performance consisted of four dances, each having its own mini-story, with the dancers acting with pre-recorded lines to set the scene of each piece. The scripts were written by the dance coach, Savina Barini, and reviewed by all of the dancers. Each of their lines reflected their feelings about issues tackled in the performance, such as misogyny and the uncertainty of the future.
The first dance was to Florence and the Machine’s “100 Years.” The dancers performed a contemporary-style dance to reflect its changing rhythms and mood. The scene opened with the dancers discussing the fast-approaching end to the school year, each thinking about the future with both excitement and dread.
Notably, seniors Kamdi Oguchi, Anwen Kelleher, and Lia Walton expressed their complicated feelings about moving on from high school to an entirely new experience, explaining that “you have these bonds with people and with places, and you want to hold onto them, but you know you can’t. You want the thing that feels comfortable and familiar, but you can’t just stay with what’s familiar forever or you never grow.”
Complex emotions were portrayed individually by each dancer during the dance itself, especially in the second half, where the movements intensified with the building music. Overall, the dancers’ utilization of passionate expression and motion allowed them to excellently depict characters with whom the audience could identify with and understand.
Following this beautiful performance was an energetic dance to TLC’s “No Scrubs.” No Scrubs is an R&B song about men who do not live up to typical standards in dating, yet they still act as if they deserve a chance. The dancers actively reflected this message, with the scene beginning with the girls complaining about being unwantedly pursued by men they describe as “scrubby.”
The dancers also made sure to highlight the unreasonable pressure to date in high school, describing how people force their expectations to become romantically involved onto others. The dance expressed a more spirited side of the dancers, as they stepped across the stage full of confidence and sass. They energetically executed sharp dance movements similar to those portrayed in 90s-style music groups. This dance was a delight for the audience to watch and clearly fun to perform for the dancers themselves, as they interacted with one another with smiles and positive energy.
The next dance was a mashup of certain songs from the award-winning Barbie Movie directed by Greta Gerwig. The scene opens with the girls discussing the difficulties of being a woman, specifically how the standards they are held up to affect their mindsets. The dancers named how they are expected to abide by an extremely particular standard of confidence and expression, and how “there’s never a right answer.” After remarking on these troubles, the girls proceeded to remember a past dance performance in which they had been forced to change out of their costumes because their bra straps were visible. The girls noted that it had taken away from the fun of the experience, and suggested redoing the dance in order to rekindle such feelings. The dance was playful and lighthearted, emphasizing the fun that comes from dancing without constraints.
Finally, the performance closed with a dance to “Cozy” by Beyoncé. This dance focused on the importance of uplifting others and having confidence in oneself. The scene opened with the dancers naming qualities they like about themselves in order to preserve the confidence boost they received from achievement. After successfully carrying out this handy practice, the girls add that it is easier to be confident when surrounded by others who know and like you for who you are.
Finally, the girls conclude that though it is challenging to be a woman in this world due to unrealistic expectations and difficult experiences, it is manageable as long as they elevate one another and feel good about themselves. The dance was in the style of African American step-dancing, with the dancers syncing their stomps and claps to merge into one cohesive sound. The girls danced with assertiveness, moving as a unit taking over the room with their energy, illustrating their resolve to maintain their confidence with each other’s help.
All in all, the St. Andrew’s dancers did an excellent job performing a piece highlighting the tribulations of womanhood while also inspiring optimism with profound messages of supporting others in overcoming the struggles of self-confidence.
Photograph from SAES Instagram