Quinn McHale ‘26 | Sofia Foulds ‘26
Arts and athletics have both always been a crucial aspect of the curriculum at EA. Whether on the field, in the studio, or on the main stage, students are constantly learning to grow and express themselves. Nothing quite combines the arts and the athletics the way dance does. This season, dancers have worked tirelessly to learn new, varying forms of dance. From working on contemporary and ballet, to telling stories through Afro-Caribbean dance, this season has been filled with new and exciting accomplishments.
Dance uses movement to convey culture, emotion, and humanity. Daniel Clay, Head of Theatre Department, explains, “It expresses emotions for which there may not be words. The program offers dancers an opportunity to get active and explore new forms of dance and arts.” Episcopal Academy’s dancers have earned respect and admiration through a blend of community, collaboration in and out of the studio, demanding practices, and much more. Additionally, The Dance Team at EA offers a chance for students to learn how to work with others and to be vulnerable through movement. Most importantly, dance combines creativity and teamwork to create a final product. Co-Captain Sarah Taylor ‘24 expresses her pride at the teams success this season. She says, “I am proud of the commitment and dedication I saw from the dancers this year. Everyone was focused, came to practice ready to dance, and bonded across grade levels. We had our ups and downs of course, but we helped each other through.”
Offered as a winter sports option, dancers spend long hours in the studio and main stage theater each afternoon. During the season, the team puts in immense time, work, and effort crafting routines and performances. Seta Bardakjian ’25 describes her experience on the dance team as, “a way to express myself in different ways and enjoy the time.” These routines contribute to the very popular dance concert. Each dance routine in the concert is unique in choreography style, skill level, and music. Sarah Taylor ‘24 further comments on the uniqueness of the season, saying “this year was especially special because the Upper School dancers spent a lot more with the middle schoolers. Our Hip Hop dance is with both middle and upper schoolers. There is also a Middle School contemporary dance titled “Older,” in which me and my co-captain Sarah Memmo play middle schoolers when they get older.”
This year’s dance theme is Timeless, focusing on growing up and evolving. Clay describes, “The idea of time will be explored through various dance styles including contemporary, jazz, musical theater, tap, and hip-hop. In fact there will be a featured number in this year’s show that celebrates the 50th anniversary of Hip-hop.” This performance will feature over 60 students across middle and upper school. The dancers are really proud of what they’ve accomplished and created this season. Clementine Clifton ‘24 explains, “I think this year’s concert will be amazing because each dance is super different and exciting, but all still convey a coherent theme.”