This year, in order to host these important art performances while maintaining COVID-precautions, students will perform almost all events via a livestream event or with limited capacity seating. We look forward to being able to virtually share this beautiful performances with our whole community. If you don’t have a chance to watch a performance in person or live, please return to this same link to watch at a more convenient time. In cases where there will be a limited capacity seating allowance, we will note this with each event.
Friday, May 21 – Saturday, May 22
Winter Term
A note from the director: Ms. Butcher: Congratulations to the K-II dancers for their wonderful performance in The Very Hungry Caterpillar. Each dancer worked hard and had fun while learning through dance. The students practiced identifying the elements of dance through planned and improvised dance sequences. As a class, we defined and maintained personal space, concentrated, and appropriately directed focus while performing movement skills. The dancers rehearsed and learned to apply and adapt isolated and coordinated body part articulations, body alignment, balance, and body patterning. Our K-II dancers created and performed both planned and improvised movement sequences using the elements of dance to communicate meaning around storybook themes. They explored dance improvisation to discover new movements to fulfill the intent of the storybook narrative. The children created and performed movement sequences alone and with a partner using locomotor and non-locomotor movements at various levels in space. Thank you, dancers, for your great work! It was a pleasure to teach you and see your excitement for dance grow. You should be proud of your work. Love, Ms. Butcher
A note from the director, Mr. Tanner: This past February’s Upper School production of Much Ado About Nothing marked one year since the Upper School students had previously performed. They began working on the play during Fall Term, the first week of October, with performance dates set for mid-November. But with the new guidelines from the governor, the production shut down just one week before opening. We started at it again two weeks after returning from Winter Break. Some of the cast members had to drop out, because they were unable to do a show during Winter Term. Those spots were filled by other actors, joining just one month before opening, some learning large roles in a short time. But it all came together, and from the experience, we learned how much live performance matters to us.
There are beautiful structures in this world, held up by pillars. Some of the pillars are load-bearing. Some are simply decorative. Take them out, and the structure stands as strong as ever. But remove just one of the load-bearing pillars, and the structure is compromised. It begins to crumble and eventually falls. Some believe that art is a decorative pillar in the structure of humanity, a pillar which can be removed and replaced whenever it suits the community. I reject that view of art.
It’s not that the arts can’t adjust to given circumstances. The actors in Much Ado wore masks and were tested regularly. Our audiences were small, masked, and distanced. But art is not something we should put away during difficult times. It is essential at all times, and I am grateful to the students, the families, and to Waterford for making it happen again.
Class II’ve Got Peace in My Fingers by Susan SalidorLittle Voices in My Head ©1995Piano Arrangement & Accompaniment performed by Willem King
If I Could Fly Like a Snowflake by Teresa Jennings© 2009 Plank Road Publishing, Inc.
Class IINeige, Neige Blanche, French Folk SongPiano Arrangement & Accompaniment performed by Willem King
The Penguin Polka by Teresa Jennings© 1999 Plank Road Publishing, Inc.
Class IIIA Sailor Went to Sea, folk song from Austrialia
Class IVZhao Peng You (Find a Friend), folk song from China
Class VAla Presi (A Cook in Every Kitchen), folk song from Suriname
Friday, October 16, 7:00 PM and Saturday, October 17, 3:00 PM and 7:00 PM
This year’s Middle School Play, Shakespeare’s The Winter’s Tale, will be a live performance for a small (and safe) live audience of the students’ families. Each student will perform in masks that complement their outfits. We will post the recording of the show here to watch when it is available.
Waterford School’s chorus, from Class VI to Chamber Singers to Troubadours, put together a beautiful website including both live and virtual recordings. Enjoy listening (and watching) here.
For more information on school events, please visit our school calendar.