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McDonogh 跳舞s. And how. 更多的 than 70 upper schoolers will perform with skill and flair at the 19th annual winter dance concert on Saturday, February 5 at 8 p.m. and Sunday, February 6 at 2 p.m. in the Ceres M. Horn Theatre.

The dance concert is a remarkable display of crowd-pleasing talent. That's because most of the performers do not study dance outside of school. Yet with artful choreography and practice, they look like masters.

Their repertoire includes an eclectic mix of ballet, 利用, classical jazz, musical theatre dance, and hip hop, as well as modern and post-modern dance.

Performers have faced some unusual challenges this year. With Director of 跳舞 Ilona Kessell out on medical leave, they've had to learn dances in days instead of weeks. And student choreographers have had to run rehearsals start to finish.

"The kids have stepped up to the challenge. They've produced 16 dances in half the time," says Kessell, extending special praise to the juniors who have been working with her since middle school.

Kessell, an award-winning professional choreographer, is still running the show. But she's had a great deal of help this time. Five students, three alums--Sarah Levitt '03, Devin Robinson '06, and Kevin Truitt '08--and four outside dance instructors have choreographed most of the 16 pieces. The result is an exciting combination of performances, Kessell says.

Admission to McDonogh 跳舞s is $7 at the door. Children 12 and under are admitted free.