One of the major joys of the Performing Arts are the opportunities for connection and collaboration, and nowhere is this more evident than last week, when 8 of British International School of Boston students joined over 200 grades 5-9 NAE students from across the Americas to attend the Nord Anglia Performing Arts Festival in Miami, Florida. Connected by their love of the Performing Arts, students from BISB and beyond were given the opportunity to specialize in one of 4 pathways – musical theater, dance, popular music and orchestra, collaborating over the week to create a final showcase experience, which without question demonstrates the talent and commitment of our students. With classes led by professional performers, choreographers and directors, our students were challenged to achieve incredible things, and absolutely delivered! Our final showcase saw students take on orchestral works by a range of composers, premiere two dances specifically choreographed for the event, and stage two complex numbers from the musicals ‘Shrek’ and ‘Madagascar Jnr’.
These festivals challenge our students to work hard within their chosen discipline, but also provide many opportunities for relaxing and getting to know one another. Outside of the rehearsals and skills workshops, students also enjoyed a fantastic performance of the Broadway show ‘Mrs. Doubtfire’ (hugely inspirational for our musical theater students), a visit to a water park and finished off the week with a delightful dinner cruise along the Florida river.
However, the performing arts also challenges us to step outside of our comfort zones – to try things we may never have considered. Our students took part in workshops such as bluegrass fiddle techniques, pom dance and puppetry – pushing their own limits, and in many cases discovering new interests in the process.
Whenever I speak with the students about experiences such as this, one thing that is always mentioned is the new friends made. With 19 schools taking part, our students made connections with students from different continents, but with shared interests, returning to Boston that much richer from shared experiences, and already planning for next year’s festival!
