On May 17th, the spring showcase opened for Fata Morgana, Georgetown Day School’s (GDS) student-run and student-choreographed dance troupe. With almost every show sold out, Fata Morgana is a staple in the GDS art scene. Even after Maria Watson, Fata Morgana’s faculty advisor, released 20 extra tickets for Friday’s sold-out performance, the club sold these additional tickets within ten hours.
As always, the show was lively and exciting. The performance opened with a 1980’s themed number, featuring dancers dressed in brightly colored spandex and leotards. From the Michael Jackson themed piece to the monster themed dance, the audience was cheering and engaged—mesmerized by all of the GDS talent. Each dance was well-choreographed, full of energy and fun costumes.
Juniors Lucy Walker and Nina DeCola, both co-heads of Fata Morgana, told me with enthusiasm that they “have about 50 dancers this season… [with] a wide range of levels and styles from kids who have never danced before to kids who have been dancing for their whole lives. This season we have a lot of really different and innovative dances and we are super excited for everyone to see them. Audience members expect to see props, projections, and much more.”
They were right. Anyone at the show was sure to have seen some unexpected faces, particularly during a dance specially choreographed for some of the students who participated in the spring musical and fall play. There were also many eager beginners who took the stage with confidence and style.
What amazes me most about Fata Morgana is how each year they manage to choreograph, teach, rehearse, and organize six incredible shows—three in the fall and three in the spring—in addition to balancing their academics during very busy times of year. Walker’s, DeCola’s, and the rest of the company’s hard work has clearly paid off as they were able to complete the weekend with three stellar performances. I left the show Friday evening with a Michael Jackson song stuck in my head and a desire to join Fata Morgana in their next fall season.
By Revati Mahurkar’19