Related News
Home » Supplement » Children's Day
Dancing the light fantasticon a night
By Michael Dethy |
June 1, 2009, Monday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
ON a warm spring evening a few weeks ago, Shanghai Community International School Pudong's parents, students, faculty and friends gathered at the new Upper School campus' versatile Black Box Theater for a truly special cultural event.
The lights dimmed, the distinctive sound of Chinese folk music filled the air, and out came Michaela Straub gracefully onto the stage, followed by dozens of other dancers all in flowing white sleeves. This was the performance by 48 dedicated students, members of Andrea Dethy's dance program, which is offered exclusively at SCIS Pudong.
The show opened with the Upper School girls performing the traditional Chinese "Sleeve Dance" followed by the Middle School girls colorful "Fan Dance," both beautifully choreographed, elegant and pleasing to the senses. These two dances won the first and second places respectively at the recent ACAMIS' Chinese Culture Talent Show. (ACAMIS, or the Association of Chinese and Mongolian International Schools, is China's major international school organization.)
Next on the bill, the Middle School boys wowed the crowd performing Beat Box music along with wildly entertaining hip-hop moves that contorted their bodies in ways that were beyond belief. Not to be outdone, the Middle School and High School girls performed their own hip-hop routines to rousing applause.
One of the evening's most stylish numbers came next. Salsa, performed by the High School boys and girls, was a brash and sassy Latin favorite. The ladies wore exquisite red dresses evocative of a hot Spanish night, while the boys were cool and reserved with their loosely buttoned shirts. The music, steps and turns had the audience feeling the passion of the dance and no doubt thinking about taking dancing lessons themselves. The highlight came when girls effortlessly leapt onto the shoulders of their male partners, leaving everyone breathless.
Rounding out the evening, the High School girls performed a cool modern jazz routine reminiscent of a cross between Moulin Rouge and a Broadway show. It had synchronized kicks, fast steps and a style that would make Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers proud. The end of the show brought a standing ovation that seemed to go on and on. The dancers' faces gleamed with pride, no doubt feeling accomplished in having pulled off an extremely entertaining after-school event - the first ever to be held on the new Upper School campus.
After the show, dance teacher Andrea Dethy was asked for her thoughts on the performance.
"The students were marvelous and it is a testament to all the hard work, sweat and twisted ankles that they endured this year! I could not be more proud of them." Asked how she plans to top this she said, "Well, in the future when our 700-seat theater is completed, we look forward to launching a full musical production in collaboration with the drama, choir, art and music departments. Our school is so blessed to have such a talented pool of educators in our fine arts programs, and it should be spectacular!"
The lights dimmed, the distinctive sound of Chinese folk music filled the air, and out came Michaela Straub gracefully onto the stage, followed by dozens of other dancers all in flowing white sleeves. This was the performance by 48 dedicated students, members of Andrea Dethy's dance program, which is offered exclusively at SCIS Pudong.
The show opened with the Upper School girls performing the traditional Chinese "Sleeve Dance" followed by the Middle School girls colorful "Fan Dance," both beautifully choreographed, elegant and pleasing to the senses. These two dances won the first and second places respectively at the recent ACAMIS' Chinese Culture Talent Show. (ACAMIS, or the Association of Chinese and Mongolian International Schools, is China's major international school organization.)
Next on the bill, the Middle School boys wowed the crowd performing Beat Box music along with wildly entertaining hip-hop moves that contorted their bodies in ways that were beyond belief. Not to be outdone, the Middle School and High School girls performed their own hip-hop routines to rousing applause.
One of the evening's most stylish numbers came next. Salsa, performed by the High School boys and girls, was a brash and sassy Latin favorite. The ladies wore exquisite red dresses evocative of a hot Spanish night, while the boys were cool and reserved with their loosely buttoned shirts. The music, steps and turns had the audience feeling the passion of the dance and no doubt thinking about taking dancing lessons themselves. The highlight came when girls effortlessly leapt onto the shoulders of their male partners, leaving everyone breathless.
Rounding out the evening, the High School girls performed a cool modern jazz routine reminiscent of a cross between Moulin Rouge and a Broadway show. It had synchronized kicks, fast steps and a style that would make Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers proud. The end of the show brought a standing ovation that seemed to go on and on. The dancers' faces gleamed with pride, no doubt feeling accomplished in having pulled off an extremely entertaining after-school event - the first ever to be held on the new Upper School campus.
After the show, dance teacher Andrea Dethy was asked for her thoughts on the performance.
"The students were marvelous and it is a testament to all the hard work, sweat and twisted ankles that they endured this year! I could not be more proud of them." Asked how she plans to top this she said, "Well, in the future when our 700-seat theater is completed, we look forward to launching a full musical production in collaboration with the drama, choir, art and music departments. Our school is so blessed to have such a talented pool of educators in our fine arts programs, and it should be spectacular!"
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
