When getting up on our feet and dancing to our favorite bops, we let loose the pessimism surrounding us. Dance has very much influenced our stay-at-home experiences. Whether it be swaying your hands to French songs or imitating a rockstar’s move to throwbacks, dance makes you feel brisk and alive. Though remote learning has ravaged many of these opportunities for dancers to express themselves and choreograph in spacious environments, AHS’ dance instructors, Mrs. Liza Tedford and Ms. Breanne Genite, illuminate how they have been accompanying their students amid this pandemic.

Becoming familiar with the virtual environment has inarguably been a major challenge for both students and teachers. The dance industry, in particular, has been deeply impacted financially by the pandemic. However, that didn’t stop the AHS Dance Department from producing stellar live performances.

Recently, the AHS Orchesis Dance Company orchestrated and streamed a free virtual live performance on Dec. 11, featuring dance students from Orchesis, Beginning and Intermediate Dance, and First Avenue Middle School Dance Class. Many were amazed to see that the annual dance department show originally held at AHS’ Performing Arts Center had moved to a virtual setting. Nevertheless, the virtual show had the audiences at home on the edge of their seats.

Of course, without endless weeks of hard work and dedication on the part of the dance instructors and the dance department, the virtual performance couldn’t have been possible.

Mrs. Tedford, the dance director of Beginning and Intermediate Dance, discussed a plethora of online learning challenges that have altered her experiences as a dance instructor.

“For me, with my beginning and intermediate classes, the ability to see them and evaluate is very difficult given our circumstances. At the school’s dance studio, I project my students on a large screen, so it’s easier to see the entire class and give individual comments, as well as group comments,” she said.

She went on to discuss how in-class writing and health lessons have been more feasible than assigning choreography.

From a somewhat different perspective, Ms. Genite, the dance instructor of AHS Orchesis Dance Company, spoke of how the Orchesis students have coped with this new yet alien experience.

“There are certain elements with being virtual that are challenging. But at the same token, we’ve learned how to pivot, given the circumstances we are in. In regards to Orchesis, our biggest focus is to develop technical skills and artistry and choreographic skills. I definitely had to take a very different approach to how they create their choreography,” she said.

Though the original plan was for the Orchesis students to work together to create choreographies for upcoming dance shows, Ms. Genite sought a different approach for her students, in which she “implemented an aspect of the curriculum that is dance and choreography for film.”

Ms. Genite hosted several film workshops for her students at the beginning of the year. Though the class mainly emphasizes choreography and techniques, Orchesis students have been able to gain fundamental skills in film, such as editing and creating shots on various editing apps.

“They had to adjust their thinking and perspective towards choreography. When you are filming, the creative aspect is very different. You are looking more at the visual things rather than the structural things and formations in dances. You are also looking at how the shots can help capture what it is that the choreography is about,” Mrs. Genite said.

Learning basic filming techniques is fundamental for students especially when creating portfolios for college.

“Dancing for film, it’s not just the shots, it’s not just the editing, it’s all of the above that’s harder. It’s incredible the skill… how marketable it makes for the girls in college or any industry. I think Ms. Genite has done an amazing job motivating them into an arena that is only going to benefit them down the line in many fields,” Mrs. Tedford said.

Virtual learning in place presented various challenges, such as keeping contact with group members or meeting new individuals. However, Mrs. Tedford and Ms. Genite have incorporated several methods of keeping the interactions alive in their virtual classrooms.

“My classes have started using American sign language. Ultimately, that’s a way of expressing signs of greetings in our quiet space since seldom we’re close to our computers. We’ve been practicing in small pairs and creating small connections,” said Mrs. Tedford.

To maintain a connection within the dance department, the Orchesis students have hosted various dance style workshops throughout the semester for both Beginning and Intermediate dancers to attend.

With the annual showcase free and online, fundraising may be a concern. However, Ms. Genite expressed how this virtual show was a learning experience.

“Most of our focus is providing an experience for the students and the community,” she said.

While the Virtual Showcase was a huge learning experience for the entire dance department, the two instructors anticipate that the Spring Virtual Showcase will be a lot easier with approaching new or current obstacles. The Spring Virtual Showcase will begin its live stream on Apr. 30 at 7:00 p.m.

In times like these, where every new experience comes with new obstacles, it’s best to shake off those pessimistic feelings and dance with passion. In the same way that the AHS Dance Department has expressed their emotions through dancing during these trying circumstances, take this time to enliven the mood through dancing!

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