Todd Hjelt, the Master of Ceremonies, set the tone for the evening. “Ladies and gentlemen, if you’ve come here tonight for music, comedy, and dancing, you are in the right place.”
That said, the stars — make that the students — at The Dorset School were ready to strut their stuff. The event was the school's Talent Show organized by the Dorset Parent Volunteers (DPV) for the second straight year. “The show creates a stage for our kids to showcase their wide variety of interests and skills,” said Kara Guilfoyle, Co-Chair of the Talent Show for the DPV. “It’s also an opportunity for our families to come together and celebrate our school,” added Co-Chair Kaitlin Nichols.
A sampling of the acts provides some insight into the minds of today’s children. In music we heard an 8th grade rock band cover the Pixies classic grunge tune “Where is My Mind?,” while others performed songs from the movie “The Greatest Showman” and Broadway’s “Hamilton.”
One group wrote and performed their original skit featuring the cast of “Sponge Bob Square Pants.” Others danced to the music of Taylor Swift and Chapell Roan. Three boys entertained the crowd in the style of the Harlem Globetrotters with a game of rollerblade basketball to the tune of “Sweet Georgia Brown.”
On the comedy front there was proof that vaudeville is not dead with a routine between a student and Hjelt. (“What tree grows in your hand? A palm tree.”) Another wrote out the number pi to forty decimal places in less than 60 seconds and two boys hit all the right notes in their interpretation of the classic Bud Abbott and Costello routine, “Who’s on first.”
In support of Hjelt’s work on the microphone, the DPV’s Guilfoyle and Nichols served as stage managers to keep the show on pace. In addition to all the acts mentioned above, they orchestrated jump ropers, ball spinners, roller-boarders, a student on a hoverboard and two karatekas.
The Talent Show closed with a dance routine performed by seven shiny slippery slinky socks. A silky smooth way to end the show.
(Photo above: Three TDS students entertain the crowd in the style of the Harlem Globetrotters with a game of rollerblade basketball to the tune of “Sweet Georgia Brown.”)
The instrumental section of the 8th grade rock band plays their version of the Pixies "Where is My Mind?"
Three Dorset students dance, lip-sync, and thrill the crowd with their interpretation of Chapell Roan’s “Pink Party Club.”
Sisters serenade the Talent Show audience with their rendition of “Dear Theodosia” from the Broadway musical “Hamilton.”
Two boys hit all the right notes in their interpretation of the classic Bud Abbott and Costello routine, “Who’s on first.”
A supportive crowd watches as a Dorset mathematics magician writes the number pi out to 40 decimal places in less than 60 seconds.
The Talent Show closed with a dance routine performed by seven shiny slippery slinky socks.