Hartt School Students Take Part In National High School Dance Festival

The Hartt School Community Division's Dance Department is proud to announce that ten students from the School's Intensive Ballet Program will travel to Miami, Florida to take part in the National High School Dance Festival from March 17th through the 21st. The students, whose ages range from 14 through 18, represent seven different towns throughout Connecticut. They will be participating in classes and workshops alongside students from all over the United States, as well as performing in a Showcase Concert and a Gala Program. Two pieces, one staged and one choreographed by the Department's Artistic Director and Chair Miguel Campaneria were selected through a blind video juried process of over 180 pieces from 81 schools throughout the country to be presented. In the Showcase will be Pas de Trois, a staged piece featuring Paul Branco of Hartford, Phoebe Magna of Canton, and Katrina Schmidt of Southington; and in the Gala will be A Variation from Carmen, a choreographed piece featuring Rebecca Cornett of Simsbury.

"We are so proud to be able bring our students to this wonderful program. It is an incredible opportunity for high school students interested in dance as a future profession as it allows them to meet with representatives from colleges and conservatories from all over the United States. Students also will be able to audition for summer programs, including our own International Summer Ballet Academy (ISBA), which will help them advance their careers as dancers." - Miguel Campaneria, Hartt School Dance Department Chair

Students traveling to Miami are:

Paul Branco, 15 (Hartford), Rebecca Cornett 15 (Simsbury), Aimy Day, 17 (New Britain), Dominique Denbow, 15 (Hartford), Kailah King, 17 (Hartford), Phoebe Magna, 14 (Canton), Raechel Manga, 15 (Hartford), Katelin Maxwell, 18 (Glastonbury), Caroline Pluta, 16 (West Simsbury) and Katrina Schmidt, 14 (Southington).

The Hartt School Community Division reaches out to the community, especially to school-aged students in the city of Hartford, to provide quality arts education to everyone. The Dance Department runs classes such as pre-ballet for pre-school students, intensive ballet and modern dance, hip hop, yoga, and Pilates. Such extensive offerings allow students of all ages to find programs that suit their individual interests and ability levels. To further serve as many students as possible, we offer financial aid to pre-college students with demonstrated need.

For more information on the Dance Department, contact The Hartt School Community Division Dance Department at (860) 768-6000, or visit www.hcd.hartford.edu.

The Hartt School is the comprehensive performing arts conservatory of the University of Hartford that offers innovative degree programs in music, dance, and theatre. With more than 400 concerts, recitals, plays, master classes, dance performances, and musical theatre productions a year, performance is central to Hartt's curriculum. For more information on The Hartt School, visit www.hartford.edu/hartt.

Pictured (L to R): Aimy Day, Rebecca Cornett, Katrina Schmidt, Caroline Pluta, Dominque Denbow, Paul Branco, Kailah King, Phoebe Magna, Katelin Maxwell, Raechel Manga.