Students at the Williston Northampton School are immersing themselves in the art of movement.

The Dance Department at Williston is divided into three seasons, each with a designated level of expectation. Fall and spring are geared toward intermediate and advanced dancers—both programs culminating with a production.

The winter season in the dance studio is an outlier. The most private, this season is geared toward dancers of all levels. This portion of the dance curriculum may be viewed as the calm before the storm of the spring season, however, the attitude in the studio is far from complacent.

Led by Program Director Laurel Raffetto, the winter program gives dancers a chance to hone their skills without the looming deadline of a performance. Dancers work on broadening their dance vocabulary, expanding their repertoire, and honing their technical abilities. Dance student and senior Lily Sun says of the program, “Winter dance strengthens another part of the dancer’s brain. Instead of working [towards] a deadline, we are working for ourselves—pushing ourselves even more than we [do] when performing.”

The agenda comprises weekly yoga classes, strength training, ballet barre, modern, and jazz classes.

Whether it be a student’s first or thousandth time entering a dance studio, the camaraderie of the group creates a space for self-improvement in a judgment-free zone. Divided into two assemblages based on experience, the winter program is a petri dish for the school’s dancers.