Dancing and Movies Combine for a Stellar Performance
This year’s winter dance performance, A Night at the Movies, was one for the books. As the theme suggests, each dance number included songs from familiar movies — both old and new. Audience members got to revisit the amazing stories from some of the greatest films of all time, performed by the members of the WRA dance program.
This year, the Dance Program is the largest it has been in years, with seventy-five energetic and enthusiastic student dancers as a part of the community. The performance was composed of twenty-four pieces and movie soundtracks from a recognizable movie. Among the featured films were timeless classics such as Singing in the Rain, Star Wars, and Dirty Dancing, which featured the iconic dance move known as “The Lift”. The audience was surprised to see numbers inspired by La La Land, The Hangover, and Kill Bill. And, in some of the dances, iconic TikTok dances were woven into the choreography and could be easily spotted by the younger audience members.
This is the first time since Fall of 2019 that the Dance Program held a full-capacity show with all four dance genres. Last year, the module system only allowed for half the number of performers. The pandemic has affected every corner of the world, especially the performing arts community. This winter, the KFAC theatre was back to full capacity, and the performance was the most energetic it has been in a while.
As the theme revolved around movies, Assistant Director and ballet instructor, Alexandria Anzaldi ’13, took matters into her own hands to make the ballet numbers memorable for both the audience and the dancers. Students danced to the well-known themes of Harry Potter, Star Wars, and White Christmas. Props such as swords, light sabers, and the bow of a pirate ship were used to add some flare to the performance. Some may look at the dance and forget that all the choreography is traditional ballet steps! Audience members and performers alike fell in love with this show. The dance department came back with a bang after a period of restricted performances. Mrs. Velbeck and Mrs. Anzaldi should be recognized for their amazing work to make the show as memorable as it was. A special WRA Community thank-you goes to the tech crew for what they did behind the scenes to make the performances happen — such as lighting cues and moving props. Lastly, thank you to the outstanding dancers who helped bring to life the iconic movies we all hold in our hearts. A Night at The Movies was the show of a lifetime and will be remembered as one of the best dance performances in WRA history.
-Mira Zamarro ’24
The Reserve Record 