LI Dance Program Builds Community Through Movement

This spring, the Lyndon Institute Dance Program has been busy with projects that emphasize collaboration, creativity, and community. With the annual Spring Dance Recital approaching, students have been working with alumni, visiting local schools, and preparing a variety of new works to share.

Alumna Brenna Bissett ’08, now the director of Alive Dance Collective in Boston, returned to LI to lead a choreography workshop with the Dance Company. Using the word BEAUTY as a starting point, dancers explored how individual letters could inspire movement. The process was a mix of guided instruction and student collaboration, resulting in a piece that will be performed at the Spring Recital on May 16.

Through a grant sponsorship from Ben & Jerry's, another former student, Shani Stoddard ’07, also returned to work with dancers on a musical theater piece. Now a performing arts educator, Shani reflected on how LI shaped his career. “The arts at LI set me on my path and returning to teach is so meaningful—community connections keep the arts alive.” said Stoddard.

Beyond the campus, LI dancers recently visited local schools, including St. Johnsbury and Sutton, to lead performance workshops. They reached nearly 700 students in a single day, teaching young children and middle schoolers about dance as a way to express themselves and connect with others.

The upcoming recital on May 16th, will feature work from a range of classes—Jazz, Ballet, Modern, Dance History, and others—as well as student clubs and independent projects. Alongside foundational technique, the performances explore personal expression, cultural influence, and the role of movement in communication. The Lyndon Institute dance program continues to offer students space to grow artistically while staying connected to the larger community around them.