Former Student Megan Krementowski Writes About HCD Dance

My name is Megan Krementowski and I would like to share how the Dance Department at the Hartt School Community Division under the leadership of Samantha Dunster has enriched my life.   I am now a college student at the University of Connecticut and have been taking ballet classes at The Hartt School since 2009.  This is my perspective on how Samantha Dunster and her team of faculty and staff has helped me overcome so many obstacles so that I am more confident to face the challenges of life.

Ms Dunster strongly believes that art imitates life and as the dancers learn about their passion, the discipline and the technique, they also learn how to overcome the struggles that a dancer can face.  “These are life lessons” she says “And ones to be used both inside and outside of the studios”.  In a world where life is never fair and things are hard, this art form makes you strong and helps you prepare for life’s challenges.

Before Samantha Dunster’s arrival, my passion for ballet had been diminishing, and I had decided to leave dance as I was simply not enjoying it anymore.  However, I reluctantly made the choice to enroll again to see if I would change my decision.  Ms. Dunster showed me how to fall in love with dance again.  Since her arrival three autumns ago, I have loved every second of dancing.  There are definitely challenges, and nothing worth doing comes easily, but having a Director who inspires you to love your passion makes every step worth it. Ms Dunsters’ philosophy on performing is a combination of strong class work and experience on the stage.  You can prepare for this art form as much as possible but actually living it and breathing it on the stage is what really makes you fully understand it.

For this reason she has implemented many more opportunities for the Hartt Community Division dancers to perform. Before she arrived as Artistic Director, we performed only excerpts and or variations from famous ballets.  Now, the Hartt Community Dance Department not only performs an annual full length Nutcracker in December, which features members of the community and retired dancers from The Hartford Ballet, but a full-length ballet for our Spring Festival performances as well.  This past spring, our dancers performed the ballet Snow White, which Ms. Dunster choreographed herself.  Snow White also featured an original score by Kermit Poling with a live orchestra, and the male lead role was performed guest artist Eddy Tovar.  These two full length Ballets included students from ages 6 and up, showcasing the student’s talent at every stage in their development as dancers.  Ms Dunster loves the process of putting these ballets together.  It is a chance for dancers to learn from one another and for dancers of all ages to work together and to inspire each other.

In addition to these full-length performances, there are several other performance opportunities throughout the year.  The pre-professional company, HarttWorks, has their own performance in May as well as several outreach performances in the surrounding communities. The pre-professional dancers also perform in the 3D Showcase in June.   This production highlights all genres of dance including ballet, modern, tap and jazz.  It includes dancers from 5 and up, with an emphasis on the younger students.  Discovery Day Festival features the youngest of our artists.  This performance is very important to Ms. Dunster as she says that this is usually the first time for these young dancers to experience being on a stage.  The theme of the most recent Discovery Day Festival was “Around the World”.  Traditional clothing of the cultures they were representing inspired the costumes of the children. During this performance, dancers from the pre-professional levels perform as well, as an inspiration to their younger peers. Guest artists of different cultures from the community also performed at this showcase.  The goal of the Discovery Day Festival is to combine all aspects of this art form including costumes, music, and steps into an inspirational first time stage experience for the tiniest of dancers.

Samantha Dunster has changed the vision of The Hartt School Community Dance Department.  Her wish is to open the world of dance to the tiniest dancer and fulfill the dreams of the students in the pre-professional levels.  During rehearsals, there are many opportunities for the younger dancers to watch the older ones, and there is a warm family feeling throughout the school.  The bond between all of the students here, no matter their age, is really an incredible thing to watch and experience.  Samantha strongly believes that a great deal of this art form is passed on from level to level, generation to generation.  It does not matter what age or what level you are when you begin, because the world of dance holds endless opportunities.  Ms. Dunster sees the potential and possibilities in each and every one of her students, and that alone is enough to inspire one to dance.