Taking into account all of the necessary precautions, KO’s Choreographers’ Showcase is back, much to the thrill of young artists at KO. Last year’s showcase was a huge success under the direction of Theater Director Kyle Reynolds as various artists choreographed routines for KO’s Upper School dancers, resulting in a beautiful expression of contemporary, lyrical, and hip hop dancing styles.
This year the program is hosting three dancers, along with Mr. Reynolds himself, to choreograph. The guest choreographers are hip hop extraordinaire Jus Hughes, the multitalented Savana Jones, and contemporary dancer and expressionist Lauren Horn. Students couldn’t be more thrilled for these praised dancers to be joining them.
Sophomore Frank Pu, hip hop specialist and leader of the Dance Club, is excited for the showcase. Frank is working with three out of the four choreographers: Mr. Reynolds, Mr. Hughes, and Ms. Jones. So far, it is Mr. Reynolds’ choreography that he has enjoyed the most. “I was inspired when Mr. Reynolds asked us to feel and find the artistic conception of the music, which made me more confident in my dances,” Frank said.
Rehearsals this year have been rather unconventional, as students and instructors must remain six feet apart at all times. The floor of the dance studio has been sectioned off into boxes that allow students to stay six feet apart.
Senior Olivia Pear has been dancing for many years with KO, as well as with her own personal dance studio. “It is really strange to not be able to touch other dancers in the dance, or have the teacher be able to fix your movements,” Oliva said. Despite the many changes that the pandemic has brought, Olivia is excited that the showcase is happening and that more people are interested in participating.
Even under special circumstances, choreographer Lauren Horn has already connected with the kids through their shared passion for dance. “I really like watching people grow,” Ms. Horn said. “It’s really fun to be able to see people who are ready to tackle things that are difficult in the beginning, but ultimately, they end up killing it!”
Those who participate in the Choreographers’ Showcase have a range of different dancing abilities and styles. While some students have been dancing for years, some have only been dancing for a couple of weeks. It is this variety that makes the showcase so special, as it allows for anyone, regardless of their initial dancing abilities, to grow and become better performers.
The showcase will be virtually streamed on Nov. 20. It is sure to be a fascinating performance, and we are very excited to support all of our Wyverns who have been working so hard!
