The Millbrook High School dance department is very gifted, and harvests talent among the student body to come together for their annual concert. The theme for this year’s Winter Dance Concert is mythical folklore stories and creatures from around the globe. The main goal of the performance is to explore diverse cultural stories, allowing dancers to connect on a deeper level with rich narratives.
Mr. Anthony, the head choreographer for the performance and Millbrook dance teacher said, “This year I want my dancers to understand storytelling at a performance level and really create an individual character that will support the narrative of each class dance.”
Anthony is most excited for the dancers to get to perform together this Thursday. “I am excited for all of them to be completely honest because these dancers have been working so hard and I couldn’t be more proud of them!”
Going behind the scenes, teamwork was shown as an ultimate ingredient in the recipe to success. Dance is not often seen as a sport, but like all others, it offers others around to support you on the theatrical stage. While teamwork is a large component of dance, individual expression is a vital part of a piece. Anthony said, “I encourage individual expression, it makes the dance 10 times better because everyone is adding their own style to the choreography.”
Before the concert, an enjoyable experience for Anthony and his dancers is the dress rehearsal. It gives the entire dance community a chance to get together and support each other on stage, and to get a feel for how the concert will go.
Sophomore Skyla Rivera also expressed her love for practicing for the concert and being a part of the production as a whole. She’s a second year member on the Wildcat Pride Dance Team and a student in the dance honors course. Skyla thoroughly enjoys dancing on the squad. “I really enjoy the involvement and being able to go out and do stuff with my team not only at the school, but just in general,” said Rivera.
The one thing Mr. Anthony wants the audience to take away from the concert is simply getting to watch their family and friends express themselves on stage. “I just hope the audience relaxes to enjoy the hard work these kids have put into their dances and gets a chance to see their kid shine!”
On the day of the performance, family and friends filled the auditorium to watch the dancers bring the mythical stories to life with energy and emotion. It was a packed house where no dancers disappointed, and a beautiful show was out on, highlighting mental health awareness. It featured solos, trios, and full group performances including a fun filled grand finale.
At the end a beautiful surprise video for Mr. Anthony was created by students capping the night wonderfully. The next time a concert comes around, be sure to support these extremely talented dancers and their hard work.
