Dance Concert 2019
Brooklyn Friends’ largest student production of the year takes place, Fri. March 8 at 4pm and 7pm and Sat. March 9 at 4pm and 7pm in the Pearl Street Meetinghouse. Tickets are free but need to be reserved in advance (first-come basis)
Shining a Light on Students’ Critical Thinking, Artistic Intelligence,
and Passion through Movement听at 40th Annual Dance Concert
听by Anita Bushell
鈥淒ance desires to be shared,鈥� says Middle/Upper School Dance teacher Jesse Phillips-Fein. 鈥淚t does not easily succumb to the rubric of ownership.鈥�
Indeed, 65 students in grades 7-12听share the stage as they reach, leap, circle and hold hands in the 40th听annual dance concert. The theme of the production is DANCE AND/AS PROPERTY and it features works by student choreographers (including those in IB Dance), as well as guest artists Orlando Hunter (Brother(hood) Dance); Parul Shah (Parul Shah Dance Company); and faculty members Jamara Hill (’10) and Jesse Phillips-Fein (’97).
贬辞飞听does听dance become property? This theme, says Jesse, 鈥渞eally came out of conversations that emerged in last year鈥檚 dance concert鈥tudents were questioning, 鈥淪hould people who don鈥檛 share a specific cultural identity perform a dance from that 肠耻濒迟耻谤别?鈥�
In dance class and rehearsal,听students examine these questions while paying tribute to artists Tino Sehgal听and Trajal Harrell. Sehgal (born 1976) is of German and Pakistani descent, and studies dance and economics, creating 鈥渃onstructed situations鈥� that model a value system based on humanity, energy, sociality, and memories of the performative experience.
Harrell (born 1973)听is a Black American choreographer, internationally acclaimed for听Paris is Burning at the Judson Church.听Using 鈥渉istorical imagination鈥� in this work, Harrell asked what would happen if a dancer of color from Harlem鈥檚 Vogue Ballroom LGBTQ+ scene had arrived in the 1960s Greenwich Village environment of Judson Church, which was experimental, post-modern, and predominantly white?
The concert is so much more, however, than performance only. Students also learn about gaining confidence, dedication, and being part of a community of dancers. Ninth听grader Saraii C. said, 鈥淭he dance concert has a special place in my heart because it has made me come out of my shell 鈥t鈥檚 helping me gain a lot of confidence.鈥� She added, 鈥淚t鈥檚 really fun to meet new people and learn about different cultures through dance and it鈥檚 really cool to be a part of.鈥�
鈥淭o me it means a lot,鈥� ninth grader Bree G said, 鈥渂ecause I鈥檝e been dancing since I was young, but I鈥檓 also new at this school so I鈥檓 new to this experience鈥鈥檝e been putting a lot of time towards it.鈥�
Seventh听grader Anele T听talked about the community-building that happens when performing in a concert: 鈥淚 like dancing, and getting to be together with other students is fun. The middle school gets to unite with the high schoolers and gets to do something fun with them.鈥�
鈥淲e talked about the theme of the concert,鈥� says Bree, 鈥渁nd cultural appropriation and assimilation鈥nd how that connects to the theme of the dance show. Is it possible to claim a dance as your own? 鈥楥ause it鈥檚 not like a physical thing 鈥� it鈥檚 more like a mental thing you carry.鈥�
鈥淚n the BFS Dance Program,鈥� says Jesse, 鈥渨e are committed to learning dances in such a way that respects and protects their meanings, while also honoring that dance is not static, it continues to change and it changes us.听This鈥roduction features the creative voices and visions of our students.听Their critical thinking, artistic intelligence, and passion through movement is highlighted throughout the show.听We invite you to be moved, and transformed, by the powerful work of these young dance artists.鈥�