Marist Dance Company Delivers Heart-Pounding Show

From the moment the first beat pounded through Woodruff Auditorium, the energy exploded on stage and in the audience, especially in pulsating numbers like “Please Don’t Stop the Music” by Rihanna with choreography by students Emma Gabara ’26, Anna O’Haren ’26, Natalia Parra ’27, Caroline Spies ’25, and Meredith Stanley ’27.

For the first time, Bauersfeld merged the 19-member dance company with students from Marist School's dance classes for a grand total of 33 dancers in the finale. The Marist dance community continues to grow offstage this school year as well, with Ms. Prisca Lynch ’13 joining the team as assistant dance company director, alongside Bauersfeld and Technical Director Mrs. Anna Lee.

The dancers did not solely rely on the music to keep the beat going strong. In “Applause” by Lady Gaga with choreography by Lynch, the audience was roused to clap along with the Marist dancers. House drummer Colin O'Toole '26 kept the crowd's hearts thumping between routines with rhythmic interludes. The audience was wowed by the blend of styles, from lyrical to hip hop.

More highlights of the show included the encore performances by the Dance: Expression and Movement students who previously conceptualized, choreographed, and executed contemporary pieces as statements on mental health as part of their class’s examination of how the arts can foster compassion and understanding. Through duets and small group numbers, they explored the multifaceted dimensions of social and emotional struggles in high school and touched on themes like bullying, stereotypes, and friendship.

While each dance had its own unique heartbeat, they all coalesced into one pulse-raising, stand-up-and-cheer performance. The incredible energy shared between the performers and crowd made “Heartbeats” a show to remember.

View photos from “Heartbeats”.