T O D A Y - Berwick Academy

ed, “It’s wonderful that the teachers atBerwick prepare our kids for such incredibleexperiences as OAKE NationalChoir. It was amazing to watch Mr.Meads take a group of 130 kids from20 states and turn out such a polishedand professional performance.”PortlandSymphonyOrchestraDuring the spring trimester, first,second, and third graders studied orchestrainstrument families. On May7, we attended a Portland SymphonyOrchestra Youth Concert to see forourselves how they all fit together intoa collective sound and art form. Theconcert featured a trombone concerto,an organ concerto, and Vivaldi’s“Spring” among other works. The programwas titled “The Art of Listening,”and facets of the program includedstudent work in dance, visual art, andpoetry. Grade three artist Henry Clarkhad his artwork projected above theorchestra. He created this art piecealong with his class during an art lessongiven by Deloris White, in whichthe children reflected on the musicthey were hearing. Back at BA, thestudents reflected on their experiencesand sent their commentary back to theorchestra.DanceThe year in dance at Berwick Academywas lush with innovation, discipline,and artistic development. Upon reflectingon the powerful performanceseason, it seems especially appropriatethat this year’s theme in the MovementArts Center was “Dimensions -Explorations in Time, Space, Energy,and Motion.” As the space in the AthleticCenter flourished into a strong,sophisticated venue, so did the participantsin the cross-divisional danceprogram. We often discuss the valueand importance in “finding your placein space,” and it is clear that this questwas of great significance to this year’sBA dance artists.Earlier in the year, Berwick24students were challenged to see andunderstand dance as a way to createand communicate meaning. Howcan organized motion evoke reflectionson time and energy? Supportedby the Academy’s Linney Fund, theCambridge dance ensemble Spunkand Company offered a performance/workshop opportunity to the Middleand Upper School students, seeking toexplore potential answers to that question.Spunk and Company exists tomake grounded and experimental artwhile pushing the artistic boundaries ofdance. Proceeding with collaborationthat is organic, fearless, and vulnerable,the companyis composedof six dancer/choreographerswho lend notonly their technicalskill, butalso their creativeinput andenergy to everydance. Rootedin work that is atonce humorousand dramatic,accessible yetcontemplative,the choreographyattempts toboth delight and puzzle its viewer. Ablend of traditional and contemporarydance techniques, the vocabulary ofSpunk and Company is athletic, theatrical,and provocative. Often magnifyingsocial issues and human relationships,the 501c3 non-profit companyworks beyond pure formalist intentionto achieve the art of contemporarystorytelling. While the performancesand workshops held by the companychallenged many of our students to reconsiderthe parameters of dance, theyalso solidified the athletic skill and creativecapacity integral to the world ofperforming arts.Berwick dancers continued toapply creative thinking skills in dancethroughout the year. Students delvedinto a multitude of experiences, includingcommunity- based performances,workshops for patients at Maine MedicalCenter, student production andmarketing of the spring dance concert,Innovation Center projects, and evena year-end flash mob at Fox Run Mall.A particular moment of pride occurredlate winter, when five dance pieceswere chosen to present at the school’sapex of performing arts events, Winterfest.Dancers from first, fourth, fifth,seventh, and eleventh grades all contributeda wonderful array of performances,with dance gracing the stagewith more presence than ever before.It is clear that the dance communitygrows stronger every year withno slowing down in sight.The summeris a wonderful opportunity to reflect onour experiences on the Hilltop, but forseveral of our dancers, they will continueon with their drive and diligence,attending master workshops throughoutNew England and New York. Staytuned for an incredible upcoming year!AthleticsUpdateWinter and Spring 2012GIRLS ICE HOCKEYTHREE-PEAT(Excerpts from Coach McNulty’sspeech at the Sports Awards Banquet)This season was by far the best in Berwickgirls’ history, winning the EIL forthe third year in a row. Thank youto everyone who came to our games,home and away, especially that lastgame against Pingree. I think I agedthree years during that game. We hadunbelievable games against Kents Hill,Hebron, and Kimball Union -- allgood teams with players much olderthan our group of kids. We ended theseason ranked eighth in New Englandin Division 2 and just missing being invitedto the New England tournamentby a couple of percentage points .The closeness of this year’s teamis the big reason for our success. Wehad a great group of Upper Schoolleaders, who were extremely helpful inmaking the new and younger playersfeel welcome to the team. All the playersgot along, they pulled and cheeredfor each other, they teased and hadfun, and they worked hard in practicewithout knowing it. I have a simplephilosophy when it comes to coaching--make itfun, keep itsimple, workconstantly onfundamentals,and the rest will take care of itself.Everyone on this team belonged, andeach player had a role.This year’s Middle School playersconsisted of two seventh graders,Julia Caple and Anna Cosentino, andtwo eighth graders, Emma Hambrightand Christina Grassie. All were greatteammates and hard workers, and allwere big contributors to this year’steam.Our four freshman players werehuge contributors to our success andwere responsible for the winning overtimegoal against Pingree. They wereAimee Briand, Izzy Eldridge, TatianaBradley, and Tilly Burzynski. I hadbeen waiting patiently for three yearsfor a couple of them to get to highschool, and they arrived with a vengeance.They were bigger and stronger,and they made an impact. Nextyear the four of them will be even better,and I can’t wait.We had threesophomore players:Gabby Wiggin,Kaitlyn Wurzer,and GabbyBoualavanh. Twoof the three I’vecoached for twoyears, and it wasvery exciting tosee how well theirgames improved. The other was agreat surprise joining us this seasonand being a big contributor when sheplayed defense for us against Tilton.Our junior player is our AssistantCaptain Anna Wright. Annais feared among everyone we play,thanks to her unbelievably hard slapshot. In our game against PortsmouthAbbey, I think their goaltender to thisday doesn’t realize that Anna scored agoal. It went over her shoulder so fastthat she never even moved. Anna alsorecorded her 100th point this year,which is a remarkable feat for a defenseman.Senior Courtney Rickett came tous this year from the Portland area toplay goal, something we all appreciate.She worked very hard in practice, andit showed in our games.Senior Shannon Farrell has beenwith us for three years, and from thevery start, I knew we had somethingspecial. She worked extremely hardin practice and even harder in games.She was one of our co-captains; shewas a leader on and off the ice. Shewas funny, friendly, intense, competitive,fierce, and loyal. She recentlysurpassed the 100-point plateau in justunder three full seasons.Leigh “Bulldog” Chilton, ourother senior co-captain, has been herefour years and has played defense with25