On Sunday, April 13th, dancers from this year's winter and spring dance team attended the New England Preparatory School Dance Festival (NEPSDF) at Loomis Chaffee School in Windsor, CT.
The Bears in attendance (left to right): Gabby St. Clair '27, Nuala Chee '27, Emily Yang '27, Ciecee Qiu '28, Yuki Hu '26, Claire Kim '26, Trevor Sullivan Weinstein '25, Angela Pham '25, Katherine Nelson '27, Sara He '28, and Dance Program Director Madison Bagby.
The goal of NEPSDF is to create connection among preparatory school dancers who share a common passion for dance through uniting their styles and views to form a community among separate dance programs. The festival was founded in 2016 by two Loomis Chaffee dancers with the goal to be as inclusive as possible and continually expand the circle of NEPSDF dance communities.
Katherine Nelson '27 warming up
The event includes master classes in various genres of dance, taught by dance instructors of the attending schools. The festival culminates with an informal performance showcasing dances by each school where students will experience and explore different styles of movement and meet fellow prep school dancers. The goal is to be inspired by working with different teachers and seeing others’ choreography in a supportive and non-competitive atmosphere.
Dance Program Director Madison Bagby shared, "The winter and spring dance team attended classes where they were able to build community, foster new connections, and grow as artists and athletes. Our dancers took classes from instructors of the attending schools in ballet, contemporary, hip-hop, lyrical, modern, jazz, and street jazz. The dancers left feeling inspired by the dance community and their experience. Katherine Nelson and Claire Kim shared their tap duet from the Winter Dance Concert in the closing showcase."