SJS News

Saint James students brought energy and creativity to the Kellam Auditorium stage on May 22 and 23 for the annual Dance Showcase and Senior-Directed One-Act Plays. Since 2023, the two spring traditions have been combined into one lively production, with one-act plays woven between dance numbers to create an evening that highlighted the depth and range of student talent across the performing arts.

Last year’s audience response was so strong that a second performance was added this year. For dance instructor and choreographer Nicole Ruark, the packed houses reflected just how much the program has grown. 

“We started with nine students,” she said. “This year, we had 65 kids in the show and performed two shows for the first time.”

The one-act plays were directed entirely by sixth form students with previous experience in Mummers’ Society productions. Murray Brauner, Willa Pentony, Lily Schlotterbeck, and Fatou Camara led the process from start to finish. The result was a true student-run production and a meaningful opportunity for senior leaders to guide their peers.

Lily said she wanted to direct as a way to give back to the Mummers’ Society, which had been such an important part of her Saint James experience. 

“Fatou and I worked together because we wanted to bring fun to the stage with people you would not normally see act,” Lily said. “I was surprised by how rewarding it was to see the show come together! All of our actors adapted into their characters and worked hard to execute their roles.”

Murray said of her experience, “I enjoyed being able to create my own interpretation of the story and I found it challenging to be able to give guidance while allowing for freedom on the stage.”

The Dance Showcase reflected the full breadth of the growing dance program, featuring students from Dance Exploration, winter dance, and spring dance. Under Ms. Ruark’s direction, the dancers performed an impressive range of styles, including tango, samba, jazz, ballet, lyrical, contemporary, modern, swing, and tap. Ms. Ruark said that variety is intentional.

“Different styles bring out the best in different people,” she said. “By giving them different opportunities, students discover new strengths and ways of expressing themselves.”

One especially memorable number brought Dance Exploration students together for a basketball-themed routine that required complex staging and coordination across multiple classes. Ms. Ruark said the piece was incredibly hard to choreograph because students learned different parts separately and only put the full number together twice before performance.

The showcase also featured student choreography, including a dancehall piece by sixth former Karina Dabdoub. From Kingston, Karina researched this high-energy dance style that originated in Jamaica in the 1970s during her Dance Exploration class and created her own piece. Ms. Ruark said it was meaningful to see the dance represent “heritage, her growth as a choreographer, and the original Dance Exploration program.”

For Ms. Ruark, the showcase was about far more than performance. It was about courage, teamwork, confidence, and discovery. 

“It’s one of the most rewarding experiences I’ve had in many years,” she said. “I walked out of that show just so proud.”

Congratulations to all of the students who made this celebration of creativity possible! 

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