While many Concord Academy students have been busy with sports, the Concord Academy Dance Project (CADP) dancers have spent their afternoons preparing for their fall performance. Tickets are available for purchase for their performance on Friday, October 27 and Saturday, October 28.
CADP will perform three distinct pieces this season, the first piece titled Shiver, and the second titled Blue Moon. They are ending their show with something unusual and extraordinary: George Balanchine’s The Waltz of the Snowflakes from the iconic ballet The Nutcracker!
Some may ask: why ballet? Rika Okamoto, Head of the CA Dance Department, would like to preface this season’s performance by emphasizing that the aim of CADP is never to make any dancer uncomfortable. Therefore, each season, the performance and individual choreographies within each dance take into account the experience of dancers who signed up for CADP.
CADP recognizes that there is no monadic approach to dance and commends the many different dance styles. Ballet is never a requirement to join CADP. Dancers from a variety of diverse backgrounds are not only welcome but also encouraged to join. The style of dance, choreography, and even costumes are inspired by the dancers in CADP. The combination of dancers this season happened to create the exciting opportunity to include a ballet piece in CADP’s fall season performance. This philosophy of allowing the dancers to characterize what will be included in the performance carries over to the other two pieces as well. Every dancer and audience member will be able to resonate with a piece CADP is performing this season.
Ballet is not the only unusual aspect of this fall’s performance. This season, the rehearsal period is significantly shorter than usual, which presents a challenge for dancers and choreographers alike.
Okamoto explains, “The rehearsal or creative period in arts is getting shorter and shorter, which is also evident in the professional environment. I believe it reflects the pace of modern society, where everything is moving quickly and getting done swiftly before moving on to the next task. Dance, in particular, presents a unique challenge as it lacks a script or score. Creating new vocabulary from scratch and choreographing dance requires a significant amount of effort and time. Due to time constraints, this season’s dancers had to learn the material very quickly.”
CADP’s dancers rose to the challenge to create an exciting performance for the community. Okamoto emphasizes, “We must commend the CADP dancers for their outstanding job in learning lots of material in a very short time, and practicing the dances! They excelled despite the fast-paced rehearsals and rose to the challenge! Congrats CADP!”
CADP’s performance will be accompanied by the Chameleon Chamber Players. Amidst a world where the clock is constantly ticking, the dancers in CADP weaved together a rich tapestry of dance through their varied and remarkable backgrounds. This performance reflects the amalgamation of diverse experiences that form the CA community. All members of the community are invited to this immersive, unforgettable performance. CA celebrates the hard work, dedication, and artistry of CADP!