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.”
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.
The Tigers have come back strong after time away on retreats & a holiday weekend. While golf is nearing the end of its season, cross country and mountain biking are still at the beginning. Both teams are heading away to races this weekend. Girls soccer and volleyball are about halfway through their regular season competition, both teams with exciting district wins and more games to be played determining their standings for post season competition.
Please join us at our home volleyball games Thursday, September 17, where our teams and school community will come together to honor the legacy of late Fitness Center Director William B. Scott. There will be space to share memories, be in community with one another, and remember a beloved member of the USN community. We hope to see you all there.
Our Middle School teams have been crushing the courts this week. With strong performances by all volleyball teams and wins for both boys and girls tennis, the Tigers aren’t slowing down as they reach the midpoint of their seasons. Mountain biking will hit the trails for race No. 2 this weekend, and cross country runners crushed their first home meet.
Please join us at our home High School volleyball games on Thursday, September 17 in the Sperling Gym, where our teams and school community will come together to honor the legacy of late Fitness Center Director William B. Scott. There will be space to share memories, be in community with one another, and remember a beloved member of the USN community. We hope to see you all there.
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.