Students stepped into Pan Athletic Center (Pan) on Saturday afternoon to find the studio transformed into a festive holiday space. String lights framed the doorways, red and green decorations lined the walls, and music from “The Nutcracker” drifted through the room as students trickled in. Some arrived in ballet flats, others in sneakers, but all were greeted by the same welcoming energy that set the tone for an afternoon centered on community.
The workshop, coordinated by student organizers, Jia-yi Zhi ’29 and Breanna Ren ’29, aimed to make classical ballet more accessible to the wider Andover community. Both organizers emphasized that this workshop was structured intentionally to reach beginners and returning dancers alike.
“This term especially, there are a lot of beginner dancers. We wanted to welcome all students at Andover into a very well known winter tradition. We also wanted to show people what it feels like to love dance the way we do. [During the workshop] it was nice to see people who had never danced before find something they enjoyed or were good at. People were very open to learning, and their mindset was really good… Even though it was smaller than we planned, everyone was very excited, and it was really fun,” said Zhi and Ren.
That focus on accessibility did not go unnoticed. Faculty Advisor Kareem Lewis, Instructor in the Theatre and Dance department, shared that the event reflected a broader effort in making the dance program a space any student can enter with confidence.
“It aligns with the dance program and the school values overall because we designed a format that lets anybody take the class. You do not have to have a specific technique or style. It is open to everyone. That reflects Andover’s motto of youth from every quarter. We do that by involving anybody from beginner to intermediate to advanced. That is why it fits with the school values and why the dance department is happy to support it,” said Lewis.
For many students, that inclusive approach made it possible to explore parts of dance they had long admired from a distance. The low-pressure, collaborative environment opened the door for them to experiment, take risks, and revisit parts of their dance journeys. For Allegra Lee ’27, that meant reconnecting with a version of herself she once thought she had left behind.
“I chose Arabian. Arabian is something I never really thought I could do when I was younger, mostly in middle school, which was kind of when I hit the peak of my ballet journey. I would always see girls dancing the Arabian Princess and they were so cool and so beautiful, but I felt like I did not have the ability to muster up that kind of energy or emotion. The workshop felt like my chance to explore what that is like. It was really cool. I enjoyed Arabian, and I hope one day, if I ever do Nutcracker again as an adult or a senior or in college, that I can maybe play the Arabian Princess,” said Lee.
Lee’s reflections highlighted one way the workshop expanded what dancers felt they could do. For Benedict Dwyer ’28, being the only guy in the studio revealed another, in which inclusivity also means creating a space where dancers feel they belong.
“A kind of weird surprise was that I was the only guy in the room. I was expecting a couple, especially because this term has a lot of guys. But I did not really mind. And I was also really surprised in a positive way at how welcoming they were. You think of ballet and you think of it as this really classical technique that you have to learn when you’re two and continue for 20 years. But it was great to know that you can start it whenever,” said Dwyer.
That sense of welcome wasn’t just felt in the choreography or instruction, but also in the atmosphere of the studio itself. From the decorations to the festive setup, the space reflected the organizers’ determination to make ballet feel approachable. As Sophia Zhan ’28 observed, this environment played an important role in ensuring people felt welcomed.
“Breanna and Jia-yi did a really good job decorating the space. Earlier today, we helped put up the string lights. It is very festive, and they put a lot of work into it. I always see Breanna drawing posters for dance class, so they worked really hard. The environment is very welcoming. We have lights and red and green decorations. Since a lot of people have not danced before, this is a great way to help them open up, especially with the food and the casual setting. It is a good place to network or try something new,” said Zhan.
