As Patrick O'Neill settles in as the new director of Concord Academy’s dance program, Concord Academy Dance Project (CADP) is experiencing some changes that align with his vision for the Program.

In particular, O’Neill mentioned that he would like CADP to be a dance company, doing a new project every season. He realized that a lot of time in CADP is used as rehearsal time and wants to balance this out with more actual dance. As a way of achieving this balance, O’Neill said, “Our time in class [could be] used for rehearsal but [I was thinking of] maybe making it a requirement that Dance Project students also attend a [weekly] Dance Technique class.” He hopes that dancers in CADP will take advantage of the variety of dance styles offered in Dance Technique classes.

O’Neill also plans to offer more supplementary dance-related activities for CADP dancers. On November 4, dancers from both CADP and Dance Technique attended the Girls in Arts Leadership Summit* organized by Jennifer Willis, the Director of Teaching and Learning at Cushing Academy. The event brought together performing artists and leaders from a variety of preparatory schools. There, students discussed what leadership, movement, and performing arts meant to them, and participated in a variety of movement sessions, culminating in a short piece they choreographed together. The day ended with a large group discussion on the takeaways from the day and how individuals planned to implement them in their respective communities.

“[The dancers] now have someone in the [dance] community outside of CA who can offer [them] assistance to follow the path that [they] want to follow,” O’Neill notes. “[The summit] not only gave [students] an opportunity to interact with other schools, but [also] an opportunity to interact with professional artists in the Boston area.” He believes that having access to a network is very important and is glad that the summit was able to offer this opportunity.

Another great opportunity O’Neill is looking forward to is bringing the CADP dancers to watch a rehearsal at the Boston Ballet at the beginning of March for the production of Winter Experience. Followed by a question and answer session featuring dancers and choreographers, students can learn more about what goes on behind the scenes of being a professional dancer.

The work of fall CADP dancers culminated in a 45-minute performance titled met·a·mor·pho·sis on November 8 and 9. Incorporating choreography from both O’Neill and the dancers, the performance encouraged a translation of the dancers’ experiences into meaningful movements, prompting reflection on the circumstances in which they root themselves and grow.

The dance details a journey of transformation, beginning with the collective of all dancers sitting in a triangular shape in the center of the stage. Throughout the performance, dancers changed from an all-black costume to gradually lighter shades of white, grey, and blue at different paces. As dancers navigated around the stage, sheets of white fabric on the side acted as tails, flowing with the light breeze as dancers brushed past. Towards the end of the performance, the music echoed the first section of the dance, showing a cycle of change and a sense of renewal. A projection of images and words accentuated the background, building another dimension to the story of transformation.

O’Neil sought inspiration from blooming flowers, and a metamorphosis of this kind melded into the overall theme. Reflecting on his own journey coming to CA, O’Neill commented, “I was moving, leaving other jobs, [and] leaving a community that I thoroughly enjoyed. [I] knew that I needed a change, [and] coming to CA was a metamorphosis for me.” He intended to extend this invitation of change and reflection to the audience, and hoped that the audience will resonate with aspects of the dance and embark on an introspective journey with the company.

“Whether they see, experience, [or] relate with the changes happening with the dancers,” O’Neill added. “[I hope they] recognize the work the dancers have put into, seeing the change that we’ve undergone, the artistry that blossomed, and the confidence that has come about.”

The performance was met with excited anticipation with two sold-out shows. “It was a really impressive showing,” Caroline Comjean ’25 remarked. “I’m even considering joining dance next semester.”

Greeted with overwhelming success, the dancers concluded the fall season of Dance Project and will soon be collaborating with the CA Winter Mainstage for the production of Chicago!

*The Leaders and Learners Summit Series embraces and celebrates an inclusive definition of girls. We welcome participants who identify as girls, including trans girls and those who are nonbinary, gender non-conforming, and any student who identifies as female or otherwise in a way that is meaningful to them.