Every Christmas season, we shuffle in the Performing Arts Center to watch the beautiful Christmas Pageant. But does anyone know what happens behind the scenes? How are those graceful dancers selected for their roles, and who are they? I knew that there was loads to uncover about this spectacular event so I talked to Ms. Herding and her Performance Dance Students to find out more.

Herding informed me about the audition process and selection for the various dance roles in the show, “The Performance Dancers always dance the roles of Angels and Children, and from that class we choose a Mary and Angel Gabriel dancer to do those solo roles. We look for someone mature, responsible, reverent and with beautiful dance technique that is a senior and has been in our department for awhile.” In addition to the Performance Dancers, The two Advanced Dance Classes divide their dancers up into the roles of the Shepherds and Magi and work on the choreography in class and through school rehearsals.

Performance Dancer senior Abby Jones gave me some insight about their hard work behind the show. Jones says “we rehearse the Wednesday and Thursday the week before the show, as well as Monday through Thursday after school the week of the pageant. It’s very fun to see the progress made on each dance, and our hard work is finally presented at the end of rehearsal week for the whole school to see.” Alongside Jones and the other Performance Dancers are the Freshman and Honors Choir. Also, do not forget to listen to the recorded narrations in the background of the show because those voices are some of our very own Xavier students.

Herding notes that “the coordination of all of this takes time but is really fun to see it all come together – the decorations, lighting, performers all create a magical reverent performance to share with our community.” The Xavier Dance Company encourages the students and their families to come watch this beautiful collaboration of art forms, all coming together to express the joy of the season and honor the Christmas story.

Thus, don’t miss Xavier’s annual Christmas Pageant on December 7 and 9 – it is a perfect way to start off the Holiday Season.