Circle of the Arts Sets Heads Spinning

Proud parents being dragged by excited students had a splendid time at Fort Lee High school’s third bi-annual Circle of the Arts Friday. The three-hour event included visual displays and performances from every school in the performing arts program as well as visual and practical arts.

The visual arts was a district wide display, with virtually hundreds of art projects from all of Fort Lee’s grade schools, the Lewis F. Cole middle school, and the high school. There was everything from paintings, to charcoal drawings, masks, sculptures, paper mache, and more. The middle school and high school also had “practical arts” on display, including home economics and industrial arts projects like woodworking and film making.

(APA) really shined, with Music, Dance and Acting performances strewn about in the auditorium, gym and classrooms. Between the hours of 6 and 8 p.m., the select choirs from the elementary schools and Lewis F. Cole middle school band, orchestra and chorus played in the auditorium. Between 8 and 9 p.m., the high school honors ensemble took to the stage. The Chamber Ensemble/Orchestra was directed by Ms. Mary Stephenson (their 8:10 p.m. performance of a medley from Disney’s The Lion King was absolutely beautiful), and the Honors Choir was directed by Mr. Joseph Picone.

Claudia Cutler’s dance students performed in the smaller gymnasium at 7:15, and 8:15 p.m. All of their hard work showed, not only in their hauntingly beautiful ballet moves but in the anticipation of the audience. Parents piled into the gym, clinging near the walls to make room.

Ms. Culter has done the Circle of the Arts twice in her time at Fort Lee High School. She told Patch she is happy to have such diligent students, especially since dance is not very prominent in Fort Lee, even with its gradual increase in popularity.

”I started with nine students,” Cutler said. “And now I have 27 as of today and 15 more coming next year.”

Jodi Etra’s acting students gave performances in Room 132 at 6 and 7:30 p.m. The 7:30 showing was a delightful “Actors Anonymous” skit, which was a compilation of actors pretending to be, well, actors! The actors involved, including seasoned players like , were absolutely fabulous and had the room full of adults laughing.

”The turn out was so much better than previous years,” Etra told Patch later. “We had a packed room for our performances.”

The cafeteria held a menagerie of cultural yummies, the proceeds of which went to the band and yearbook funds. Dumplings, cookies, Japanese food, as well as baked goods and ice cream were served.

The evening was a great hit. Parents and students were constantly milling in and out of the school with excited conversations on their lips.

The FLHS holds the Circle of the Arts festival every other year, so for anyone who missed it this year, they have to wait until 2013.