HS Dance performance marks return of in-person productions
HS Dance presented "Inure" on Thursday, April 22 on the blacktop behind the school with audience members watching in socially distant groups on the back field. Featured senior choreographers included: Serena Mukherji '21, Somya Singh '21, Erika Galli '21, and Gillian Flatt '21.
By Caren Lyons, HS Dance Teacher
On Thursday, April 22, live performance returned to 2000 Edgehill as HS Dance presented "Inure," a mixed repertory bill boasting a diverse array of dance styles including jazz, tap, modern, and lyrical, on the blacktop behind the school marking the first in-person student production since the start of the coronavirus pandemic in March 2020.
Through great feats of determination, discipline, and ingenuity, HS spring dance students presented an evening filled with laughter, joy, togetherness, and, of course, dance.
Dance's ability to bring people together, building cohesion and connection, was on prominent display. The impromptu rehearsal for After School students and the show's finale, which had audience members of all ages moving and shaking, were noteworthy highlights.
The showcase was the result of the evolution of a concept initiated by dancers in the fall semester. Intermediate students demonstrated their swift mastery of tap dance fundamentals, which were integrated into the curriculum this year, as well as their continued growth as artists and technicians in jazz and ballet.
Meanwhile, advance students finally had the opportunity to perform their self-choreographed pieces, presenting concepts many began to envision last spring. The production featured a special piece by MS students in Dance Teacher Marcee Murphree's class, too. Most importantly, the dancers got to return to performing in person, thereby lifting the spirits of both those on stage and those in the audience.
My deepest gratitude goes out to the dancers and the entire USN community who helped make this performance a reality. I am so excited to continue to see the growth of these students and our school's dance program.
Students in grades 5-8 and their families can take USN Evening Class 702: Mah and Pah Jong and Me to learn to play a board game together while benefiting USN's need-based scholarship endowment.
The Helen Meador Summer International Fellowship funded a summer of professional development in South America for Lower School Naturalist Carrie Riley. Through this profound experience, she said she plans to bring these lessons into her teaching, grounding her voice in wonder, joy, and a commitment to protecting the natural world, which she loves.
The impact of USN’s Art Department is not confined to art studios in the Christine Slayden Tibbott Center. Students often engage with art in ways that transcend traditional classroom learning, such as at the opening reception for artist Yanira Vissepó's “Fantastical Views.”
Tiger golfers have officially qualified for the region tournament, and our other teams are not far behind. Volleyball sits near the top of the district, finishing up regular season play next week with Senior Night. Girls soccer continues to hold first place in the district after another 9-0 win, and our cross country runners are chasing after some school records. To round it all out, our mountain bike team traveled to Oakfield to continue to improve on their times for the season. There’s plenty more where that came from- so be sure to come out to the River Campus, Sperling Gym, or out on the road to cheer on our Tigers before their seasons end.
Middle School volleyball and tennis teams are nearing the final games of their seasons, with the competition heating up while the Tigers play to determine their HVAC rankings. Cross country was finally able to race at the River Campus despite the heat, and our mountain biking team traveled to Oakfield, Tennessee, for a high-temperature race weekend.
The MTB team returned to the the twisty trails of tranquil Oakfield, TN on Sept 13th to take part in the second race of the season, as part of the 5-race series hosted by the NICA/TICL League.
USN Mission: University School of Nashville models the best educational practices. In an environment that represents the cultural and ethnic composition of Metropolitan Nashville, USN fosters each student’s intellectual, artistic, and athletic potential, valuing and inspiring integrity, creative expression, a love of learning, and the pursuit of excellence.