Caroline Kelley Named Outstanding Performing Artist

Caroline Kelley ’11 and Ben Duff (STA ’11) have been named the 2011 NCS/STA Outstanding Performing Artists.  Each year, one NCS senior and STA senior are selected by a combined vote of the NCS and STA Upper School students. The recipients have their names inscribed on a plaque. The award, established ten years ago, is donated by former STA parent Joyce Brently and her son Nick STA ’02.

The awards announcement came at the start of a lively dinner and program held in Hearst Hall on May 16. The evening featured a talk by Victoria “Tory” North, NCS ’03, who described the “unconventional” path she took to pursue a career as a dancer after college. Tory deferred college for two years to dance in a North Carolina balletcompany, then started a student dance company at Columbia University. She is now applying to medical school. Tory advised students in the audience to take risks and consider alternatives if they really want to pursue a career in the arts. She credited NCS with giving her a solid academic background and the confidence to persevere. She ended her talk with video clips of her dance performances, which thrilled the audience.

There were some bittersweet moments as well, when Performing Arts Director Ben Hutto announced that Upper School Theater Director Peter Saunders is leaving at the end of the year to move to Minneapolis. Mark Bishop and Christopher Snipe will now share directing duties for the coordinate NCS/STA drama productions, and will be joined by Costume Designer Kathleen Leary in reviewing the drama curriculum. Mr. Hutto also recognized Dance Teacher J.R. Russ, who is leaving at year’s end; however, we hope to still see J.R. engaged in choreography for NCS/STA productions.

The NCS and STA communities extend their thanks to event co-chairs Candice Brown (mother of Andrew Brown STA ’11) and Elizabeth Kelley (mother of Caroline Kelley) for a wonderful evening!