2025 Dance Convocation

February 7, 2025

By Colette Chang ’25 and Tori Kim ’27

Journey Through Time was certainly timeless. Featuring pieces that explored decades of dance, this year’s convocation interwove dance history and universal human experiences through flashbacks, time travel, moments in life, and emotions—grief, nostalgia, romance, and sorrow.

The journey began with “Solitude” by Michael Szanyi—an introspective piece dealing with the constraints and abstraction of time—before melting into a time loop as decades flashed by, only to be presented yet again in retrograde. Cate Dance Company’s disco-esque jazz funk piece “Let’s Go Back” broke the repetition and prepared the audience for time travel through references to Stepping and Alvin Ailey’s Revelations, as well as motifs and themes to be seen later in the show. To follow came a whirlwind of student choreography: a 1920s speakeasy bluesy jazz dance by Claire Ziebart ’26 and Kay Ercil ’27, an upbeat Latin and jazz fusion piece by Maya Fausto and guest choreographers Marco Aguilar and Angela Petresku, and a deeply emotional exploration of grief by Perrin Veltman ’26. Next came the discovery of the heartbeat of dance with drums and an Afro-House-inspired piece, “The Prime Rhythm,” by Bethany Sutherland, ultimately leading to a time-warp. Makayla Niu ’27 grappled with déjà vu through a K-pop-inspired piece, dancers glided through a portal of love and nostalgia into Maddie Walton ’28’s Viennese Waltz, and everyone was urged by Sophie Cruz ’27 to “Fight the Power.” In the final stage of the journey, performers treasured moments with loved ones during Gianna Burright’s “Time in a Bottle” before breaking out into the finale, “Us Against the World,” led by the seniors.

The 2025 Dance Convocation was a tremendous success for performers and audience members alike. Senior Yangchen Sherpa commented, “The final performance itself was the most fun I’ve had in a while, as I was able to simply enjoy dancing and sharing the stage with people I’ve grown so close to.”

Audience members also had positive feedback. This year’s Dance Convo was described as “a force to be reckoned with” and “a world [to] fall into.” Faculty member Cece Schwennsen even claimed, “Every year, I think it’s [convo] the best it could be, and it just gets better.”

None of this success would have been possible, however, without our fantastic dance faculty. Bethany Sutherland, Gianna Burright, and Michael Szanyi dedicated immeasurable time and energy to choreographing and coordinating the show. Through their pre-rehearsal pep talks and endless constructive feedback, they ensured that each dancer felt supported, motivated, and prepared throughout the season.

Dance Convo also owes immense gratitude to the entirety of the student tech and lighting crew led by Richard McDonald and David Eck. Their work behind the scenes made the captivating lights, seamless soundtrack, breathtaking props, and countless costume changes possible. Even in the face of disasters such as backstage injuries or blown light fuses, the tech crew remained level-headed and capable: the epitome of professionalism behind the curtain and in the tech booth.

A note from Colette ’25: I feel so grateful that Journey Through Time was my final Dance Convo, not only because it was a beautifully resonant show but because of the people I got to share the stage with, learn from, and have fun with every day. From blowing air kisses to castmates in the opposite wing to our final squeeze circle before opening night, I will cherish each moment I shared with all the amazing dancers this season.

A note from Tori ’27: In my second year at Cate, I have come to truly appreciate the supportive and engaging community that is in the Cate Performing Arts program. The dancers I performed with made all of the hard work and long rehearsals worth it.

Zachary Goins ’25 said it best: “In dance, I was able to rely on others even during stressful moments. I feel like we, as a dance community, made sure not to leave anyone behind and were all able to be the best that we could be together.”

Thank you for joining us as we journeyed through time. We cannot wait to see you next year!

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