Students in grades seven through twelve took to the stage on April 22 and 23 for the Spring Dance Festival. To celebrate dance and the human spirit, Disconnect/Reconnect showcased student and faculty choreography, informed by personal journeys, aspirations, world events, and social justice issues.
This show demonstrated the reconnection and the disconnection felt all around the world due to the pandemic.
The students' dynamic leadership as performers, choreographers, and directors produced a compelling show for the audience.
“Watching those dancers come out of their shells and take risks, discover new abilities, and grow as both individuals and ensembles is really inspiring,” said performing arts teacher Laura Bamford.
“Seeing someone who was shy and scared to even dance back in September take the stage with confidence and conviction in April and tell a memorable story to an audience through movement is definitely a reason to celebrate.”
This was a special show for the students who have been eager to share their art on the Buckley stage again since the pandemic and the community who has been eager to attend the Buckley Dance Festival.
Instead of taking a final, the Upper School Tipping Points class stepped outside of the classroom to plant a generational indigenous garden – different from a simply native garden in that it mimics the planting practices of indigenous people, approaching the earth with care and respect.
With the help of everyone from the community, we’ve received more than 900 donations to the annual Toy Drive! Before we headed into winter break, students from the Lower and Upper School Student Council delivered the items to the Foster Children’s Resource Center.