A Year in Dance
Exeter dance is known for not only its beauty and talent, but also for the devoted people who make it possible. Each term, students participating in Dance Company collaborate to create the main stage dance concert. This year, Exeter’s head of the Theater and Dance department, Allison Duke, was in London, attaining her masters in Dance Anthropology. A talented pair of faculty stepped up and successfully ran another year of Exeter Dance. Sarah Duclos took over as interim head of the department after three years of teaching dance. She was accompanied by Amberlee Darling, and together, along with the students of the dance department, they gave Exeter three stunning shows.
Every term, the faculty and students came up with a theme that each dance would follow. Students proceeded to choreograph and audition their dances. Duclos and Darling selected the dances that would be performed at the concert, and the faculty, dance captains, and choreographers worked together to cast the dances before the rehearsals began. Darling referred to the process as a giant puzzle that slowly comes together by the end of the term. Lower Elly Lee agreed, noting the change in her style over the three terms in which she choreographed. While the students in the company change from term to term, many dancers participate for the entirety of the school year. Those who do get to see each term’s theme affect the dance choreography.
“I think it’s really nice to see how all the hard work I have seen some of my friends putting in throughout the year really pays off in performances that the whole community can enjoy.”
Fall term, the theme was simple: “Why I Dance”. Students were given the opportunity to explore themselves and how dance has affected their lives. Winter term, Duclos took the company in a different direction, asking students to express moments in history through dance. Upper Jaden Wood, who choreographed a dance about children from London who were sent to the countryside in order to be safe from aerial bomb attacks during World War II, felt this gave her an opportunity “to tell an emotional story as well as a story through movement”. Other dances included Lee’s dance: Jet Set. She wanted to explore a happier side of history by representing the height of flight travel in the 60s through a broadway style dance complete with bright blue stewardess uniforms.
Spring term, the dance company chose to take a deeper look at its roots and portray the history of dance. Lee said that this term’s theme, “was flexible in terms of the array of styles we could choreograph from.” Some dances utilized components of jazz and hip hop. Many focused on partner work. Lee’s dance used point, a ballet technique in which most of the dance is performed whilst the dancers are on their toes. Darling feels grateful for her students. “We are blessed with creative, supportive and motivated dancers”, she said. This motivation certainly showed in their performances. Lower Grace Khaner attended all three main stage performances. “My favorite part of the dance concerts were definitely the student-choreographed pieces,” she said. “I think it’s really nice to see how all the hard work I have seen some of my friends putting in throughout the year really pays off in performances that the whole community can enjoy.”
Students who do dance at Exeter often come back for more. While the overwhelming majority of dancers are female, more and more male dancers are joining Dance company and loving it. They were featured in many dances winter and spring term, and Wood agrees it was fun to watch and learn about dance with them. As the program gains popularity, hopefully more students will come to experience what has made it so special to those already in it. The bond formed from dancing, choreographing and performing together is no small thing to these dancers, and many know they will carry these relationships through Exeter and outside of it.
As the year draws to close, members of the Exeter Dance department will be sad to see Duclos depart. They have shared a great year with her and hope she will continue to contribute her wonderful ideas to the Dance Company. However, many are excited for Duke’s return and the knowledge she will come back with. Every year brings new ideas and new challenges, which the students are ready and excited for. Darling expressed her hopes for the coming years, saying, “As we head into the next couple of years as the new Theater and Dance building is being built I am looking forward to all of the new possibilities the performing arts will have here on campus and in the community”.