Synergy 2021

Sarah Hart

“Float” choreographed by Maryann Chavez. Costumes by Marissa Sellers and Annemarie Casey. Dancers visible: Jane Retzlaff, Sophia Cardenas, Whitney Black, and Natalie Gratzer.

This past weekend in the last few days of May, APA Dance held their annual end of the year main-stage show, Synergy 2021, as a conclusion to a tumultuous school year for artists not only at HBHS, but around the world.

Every year, Synergy is an emotionally loaded show for many, seeing as it is not only the final APA show of the year but the last time that the seniors in APA Dance will ever dance with one another as a group. This year, in particular, performing was a particularly cathartic experience due to the fact that this was the first real show after Fusion 2020 because of the pandemic. It is safe to say that there was only one thing on every performer’s mind this past weekend: to give the best performance that they were capable of.

Needless to say, Synergy 2021 was an incredible show to conclude the seniors’ high school experience. In many instances, it is likely that dancers who were barred from performing and coming to rehearsal will never take their ability to practice their art form for granted again. As of now, the future for dancers in APA and in the community seems bright, as more people are vaccinated, as mask mandates lift, and as the world slowly reemerges from its quarantine.

The following photos of Synergy 2021 were taken during dress rehearsals and shows performed before a live audience.

“Comin’ Home Baby/Opus One” choreographed by Kelsey McCowan and Harold Cromer. Costumes by Erin Reilly. Dancers visible: Elena VenderVeen, Taylor Barbee, Samantha Vu, Lilli Dunn, and Ruby Perlman. (Sarah Hart)
“Comin’ Home Baby/Opus One” choreographed by Kelsey McCowan. Costumes by Erin Reilly. Dancers visible: Kate Meschuk, Lilli Dunn, Elena VanderVeen, Samantha Vu. (Sarah Hart)
“Croatian Rhapsody” choreographed by Brande Dunn. Costumes by Brande Dunn. Dancers visible: Isabella Graves, Michaela Capulong, Bella Dunn, Noel Hickey, Lily Kurimoto, Roslyn Brown, and Sophia Booth. (Sarah Hart)
“Float” choreographed by Maryann Chavez. Costumes by Marissa Sellers and Annemarie Casey. Dancers visible: Jane Retzlaff and Jasmine Le. (Sarah Hart)
“Float” choreographed by Maryann Chavez. Costumes by Marissa Sellers and Annemarie Casey. Dancers visible: Jane Retzlaff, Sophia Cardenas, Dilan Le, Erin Bunker, Sophia Rodriguez, Whitney Black, and Natalie Gratzer. (Sarah Hart)
“Float” choreographed by Maryann Chavez. Costumes by Marissa Sellers and Annemarie Casey. Dancers visible: Sophia Cardenas, Erin Bunker (being lifted), Grace Hager, and Lauren Hansen.
“Spectrum” orginally choreographed by Fred Mathews, originally premiered in 1974 by the Connecticut Ballet. Restaged by Fred Mathews, Gary Masters, and Christy Hernandez. Dancers visible: Kole Williamson and Jeslyn Russell. (Sarah Hart)
“May I” choreographed by Marissa Skates. Costumes by Marissa Sellers and Raylee Hayes. Dancers visible: Lauren Hansen, Jane Retzlaff, Natalie Gratzer, and Grace Hager. Sarah Hart
“Lasses” choreographed by Marie Hoffman and Trevyn. Costumes by Madison Nideffer. Dancers: Jessie Hernandez and Lilli Dunn. (Sarah Hart)
“Lasses” choreographed by Marie Hoffman and Trevyn. Costumes by Madison Nideffer. Dancers: Jessie Hernandez and Lilli Dunn. (Sarah Hart)
“Don Quixote Excerpts” choreographed by Marius Petipa. Costumes by Brande Dunn. Dancer: Isabella Graves. (Sarah Hart)
“Don Quixote Excerpts” choreographed by Marius Petipa. Costumes by Brande Dunn. Dancer: Bella Dunn. (Sarah Hart)
“Let Go or Be Dragged” choreographed by Marie Hoffman with Jessie Knox and Trevyn. Costumes by Erin Reilly. Dancers visible: Amelie Capron, Grace Ng, Jessie Hernandez, Lilli Dunn, Kole Williamson, Isabella Piechota. (Sarah Hart)
Let Go or Be Dragged” choreographed by Marie Hoffman with Jessie Knox and Trevyn. Costumes by Erin Reilly. Dancers visible: Nicole Okada, Avery LeBlanc, Lilli Dunn, Hailey Holcomb. (Sarah Hart)
Let Go or Be Dragged” choreographed by Marie Hoffman with Jessie Knox and Trevyn. Costumes by Erin Reilly. Dancers visible: Grace Ng, Kole Williamson, Sofia Nelson. (Sarah Hart)
Let Go or Be Dragged” choreographed by Marie Hoffman with Jessie Knox and Trevyn. Costumes by Erin Reilly. Dancers: Amelie Capron, Jessie Hernandez, Hailey Holcomb, Avery LeBlanc, Madison Lynch, Sofia Nelson, Grace Ng, Nicole Okada, Isabella Piechota, Jeslyn Russell, Sierra Sifuentes, Hannah Uemara, Kole Williamson, Renee Yang. (Sarah Hart)