Choate’s Dance Company performs after a hard year of training. PHOTO/IAN MORRIS

On Sunday, April 20th, Choate’s finest dancers and singers took the stage for the Fourth Annual Dance Concert held in the Paul Mellon Arts Center.

Beginning with a number entitled “Cotton Candy Carnival”, danced to the song Calabria by Enur, the Choate dancers wowed the crowd with an array of acrobatic moves and vibrantly colored costumes. Choreographed by longtime member of Choate dance company, Annabel Clarence ’08, it was a spectacular display of athleticism and grace. The dance company went on to perform “You Can’t Stop the Beat”, choreographed by Kate Loughlin, the director of the Choate Dance Company, and set to the catchy song from Broadway’s Hairspray. Following “Can’t Stop the Beat”, the dancers performed to Come and Get Your Love by Redbone, I am the Sea and Quadrophenia by The Who, Fiction by Belle and Sebastian, and concluded the performance with a dreamy performance entitled Let’s Go Crazy, choreographed by Loughlin.

There was then a quick transition to a meaningful piece entitled “Ineluctable Modality of the Visible”, both choreographed and performed by senior Charlotte McCurdy ’08, and danced to Metal Machine Music, Part IV. McCurdy mesmerized the crowd with great flexibility and strength, holding seemingly impossible positions for seconds at a time.

Other notable individual performances were Allis Peplau’s ’09 dance to The Sleeping Beauty and Boos Shoof by Neena & Veena and Dance Sherazade by Hicham Katir Orch, choreographed by Aisha Kibwana ’08, Alex Tenney ’11 and Christina Montesi’s ’11 performance to Christina Aguilera’s Ain’t No Other Man, as well as Montesi’s solo dance to Night Train by Christian McBride. Cheyenne Wise ’09 and Chloe Patton ’09’s performance to Body Movin’ by the Beastie Boys and Clarence’s dance to Realize by Colbie Caillat were well choreographed and executed on stage.

The two year old Hip-Hop Club was well represented by Lauren DiMatteo ’08, Alex Tenney, Erin Turnquest ’08 , Eloise True ’08, and Julia Discenza’s ’10 dance to Lights Out by Danity Kane, as well as Tetteh and DiMatteo’s piece to Madonna and Justin Timberlake’s 4 Minutes which “rocked the house” according to spectator Lauren Vespoli ’09.

The CRH Step Squad impressed all as always, as seniors Tetteh, Turnquest, Abena Hagen-Brown, Grace Ann Marrinan, and DiMatteo performed at this concert for their final time.

Singing groups held the concert together, giving it some variety with some old favorites and new numbers. Alex Fischbein’s ’10 crowd favorite Everywhere began The Whimaweh’s performance, followed by soloist Isabel Aguirre’s ’08 We Belong. The all-male a capella group, The Kapraphones left an impression on fans with their performances of The Duke of Earl, directed at fourth form girls’ dean Tommie Oppegaard and Morse Code of Love. In the penultimate performance of the night, The Stenatoes, sang Build Me Up Buttercup and A Change in My Life. Notable absences included Emily Piacenza, Ellen Devine, and Bill Berghoff, who had unyielding commitments.

Overall the fourth annual dance concert was a fantastic compilation of sights, sound, and spirit. Anchored by Kate Loughlin with help from Leslie Hammond, Deighna DeRiu, George Hall and Paul Tines. The dancers and singers performed wonderfully in front of a mesmerized crowd. Kate Loughlin has made great strides in her 10th year at Choate, as have the dancers, across the board from third to sixth formers.