Katherine W Hunter:
Director of Dance and All Things Merry @ AISU
Katie received her dance training from The Boston Conservatory and has danced professionally with Ririe Woodbury's Nikolias Dance Theatre, Utah Symphony Opera, Repertory Dance Theatre, and Balasole. She has taught master classes all over the world in places such as Ecuador, Peru, India, Bulgaria and throughout the United states. She has taught as adjunct faculty at Salt Lake Community College, and master classes at MIT, UNLV, BYU, BYU-Idaho and with The Common Wealth Ballet. Katie has written grants to fund Rising Star Outreach's Life Dance Troupe in India, and an after school dance program for refugee youth in Salt Lake City. As the current dance director at The American International School of Utah she loves sharing her enthusiasm for the art of movement, with her students, daily.
"DANCE IS AN ART FORM THAT CELBRATES HUMAN LIFE."
In AISU's Dance Conservatory students will develop a deeper understanding of dance as an art form. Through movement, critical thinking, and reflective experiences students gain appreciation and understanding of the human body, gain physical skills and techniques, be challenged through the creative process, develop performance skills, and be able to analyze dance as an art form by using the elements of dance (energy, space, and time).
"We have a genetic kinship with all life on earth, An atomic kinship to all matter in the cosmos. So when I look at the universe, I feel large, because I remind myself that not only are we living in this universe, the universe is living within us." -Neil DeGrasse Tyson
"The energy expressed in this quote is how I feel about dance. Each of us has a talent, a talent that should be shared among kindred spirits around us. In the world that we live in Earth has become a horrid place. Horrific tragedies happen everyday around the world. If I can lighten someone's heart with a lighthearted dance or a piece with a deep context. I shall be content with the way I’ve spent my time on Earth."
-Bianca Cherenfant, President
"When I dance, my expression of emotion comes out in what I improvise and in every movement I make. It's not only a form of expression, but a form of expression that every single person can take a different way. Because if I want to make people feel something, it is not going to be fake. And dance is a way to communicate emotion in a way words can't."
-Moriya Nelson, Vice President
As dancers grow in their technique and artistry, we also grow together. To run a successful team, you must have unity, disipline, love for each other, and a shared desire to thrive and mature.
"The team is my life line. They are my family and my support system. They help me through my lowest lows, and celebrate my accomplishments with me. I have never felt such unity or love from a group of teenagers as I have from being on dance conservatory."
-Charly Johnson, Social Media Officer
The AISU Dance Conservatory has competed at the Shakespeare Festival for the past 2 consecutive years and plans to continue.
We have won the following awards:
Dance Ensemble 1st Place 2014, 2015
Dance Trio 1st Place 2014
Dance Duet 3rd Place 2015
We train in all styles of dance, ranging from contemporary, to ballet, to hip hop. We will attend master classes during the summer and have the amazing opportunity to work with guest choreographers throughout the year.
Make sure to attend our performances throughout the year, listed here.
