Behind every controlled turn, suspended leap, and precise landing is a moment the audience rarely sees—the quiet engagement of core strength, alignment, and breath. It is in this unseen work that movement becomes possible. At St. Margaret’s, that same principle defines the dance program. 

Built on a foundation that values both academic vigor and self-exploration, the dance program at St. Margaret’s reflects a belief that technical training and creative discovery are not opposing forces, but interdependent ones. Within this environment, students are guided to develop physical strength, confidence, and imagination.

From first steps in Early and Lower School movement classes to advanced performance ensembles in the Middle and Upper School, dance unfolds here as a continuous practice—one that evolves with the student and deepens at every stage of learning. Throughout the school year, students are encouraged to take artistic risks, perform before their peers, and develop the discipline required for sustained growth within structured yet supportive environments.

Leading the way is Director of Dance Kirsten Harvey, whose guidance shapes both technical study and a curiosity for dance. She notes the benefits of dance extend well beyond the studio:

“Dance strengthens skills that transfer across disciplines involving memory, sequencing, pattern recognition, spatial awareness, and sustained focus,” Mrs. Harvey said. “Choreography fosters problem-solving and analysis, while rehearsals reinforce time management and perseverance. Research from the National Institutes of Health has also linked arts participation with stronger school engagement and increased academic confidence.”

What distinguishes the dance program at St. Margaret’s is its continuity. From the Early School years through high school graduation, students experience dance as a progressive discipline. According to Mrs. Harvey, St. Margaret’s dance program follows a collegiate-level choreography model distinguished by both structure and adaptability. Within Advanced Dance and Choreography Honors, students engage in two distinct pathways—the choreography track and the performance track—each designed to support individualized artistic goals. Both tracks are supported by curriculum handbooks developed exclusively for St. Margaret’s with Mrs. Harvey’s meticulous involvement. This framework allows students to shape their own progression, aligning technical study and creative focus with their evolving interests and future aspirations.

The program’s progression from Early School through grade 12 fosters long-term artistic relationships and a cohesive learning development. Within this structure, peer mentorship plays a central role—fostering leadership and responsibility in older students while building confidence and connection in younger dancers through shared experience. This cross-divisional collaboration reflects the very DNA of St. Margaret’s—where learning, leadership, and service are woven into every stage and academic program of the student journey.

In the Early and Lower School, dance classes are offered as an after-school program to introduce movement as a natural extension of students' earliest experiences with dance. Students explore rhythm, spatial awareness, storytelling, and expression in ways that foster curiosity and joy. At this stage, discovery takes precedence over technique, cultivating an early appreciation for dance as both art form and language.

This foundation is expanded through structured enrichment experiences that build confidence and early artistry including Summer at St. Margaret’s Tartan Dance Camp offered for Lower School students to develop foundational technique, creative exploration, and introductory choreography in an age-appropriate setting. Early and Lower School students also participate annually in the Winter Dance Conservatory Sharing, a celebratory performance featuring ballet, jazz, hip-hop, and tap. Developed through the after-school program, the production is enriched by guest performers from the Middle and Upper School and the Tartan Dance Company, reinforcing a connected progression across all grade levels.

Middle School marks a pivotal transition into formal dance study. Technique classes introduce foundational training in ballet, modern, and contemporary dance, with an emphasis on alignment, strength, flexibility and control.

As students grow in confidence and technical ability, they also begin to take on greater responsibility within the dance community. The Dance Conservatory Teaching Assistant Program offers select Upper School students hands-on experience supporting instruction in Lower and Middle School classes. Serving as teaching assistants throughout the year, participants develop communication, leadership, and instructional skills while mentoring younger dancers.

Performance opportunities further enrich the Middle School experience. Informal showings and curated showcases help students build stage presence and confidence in a supportive environment. A favorite annual tradition, the Middle School Thriller Flash Mob, provides a spirited, low-pressure performance experience. Students learn the famous Thriller dance, explore its cultural significance, and surprise the campus with a school-wide flash mob performance.

Middle School dancers frequently collaborate with Upper School peers through shared programming and performances, making the transition into the next stage of training both familiar and inspiring. In Upper School, students build on this foundation through a more advanced, individualized curriculum that emphasizes technical refinement and expressive range.

A defining feature of the Upper School experience is the student voice. Dancers choreograph original works, collaborate across divisions, and assume increasing creative ownership, developing leadership, problem-solving, and artistic independence. As the program focuses on student-driven goals, it also cultivates transferable habits of mind and body that prepares them for success well beyond the dance studio.

As Mrs. Harvey explains, “Dance develops creative thinking through constant decision-making—how to interpret music, solve movement challenges, and construct choreography. With no single correct answer, students learn to explore, evaluate, and refine ideas through an iterative creative process.”

Within this progression, performance opportunities grow intentionally sophisticated, culminating in formal concerts and large-scale productions that reflect the breadth and depth of Middle and Upper School talent. These experiences place St. Margaret’s dance students in performance environments shaped by professional standards and high artistic expectation, reinforcing both discipline and presence.

At the pinnacle of this developmental arc is the Tartan Dance Company—the most advanced expression of St. Margaret’s dance program and the culmination of years of progressive training for students who choose to pursue the art form with greater intention. An audition-based ensemble for grades 9–12, the company represents a select group of Upper School dancers who extend their study into a more focused, performance-driven program.

Founded in 2021 under the direction of Mrs. Harvey, the Tartan Dance Company builds upon advanced coursework and composition study, offering students sustained opportunities for collaborative creation and pre-professional-level performance. In the past, the ensemble performed at major campus events as well as regional festivals and conventions across Southern California, broadening the reach of St. Margaret’s dance program beyond the school community.

The Tartan Dance Company repertory spans a range of styles, from school spirit–driven performances at All-School events and community celebrations to concert works featured in the Winter and Spring Dance Concerts. The Tartan Dance Company also performs the opening number for Tartan Revue each year—a collaboration with music teachers that brings dancers together with live musicians and vocalists in a fully integrated performing arts experience.

These performances are shaped through student leadership and senior choreography. The Tartan Dance Company provides dancers with meaningful ownership of their artistic voice while also exposing them to guest artists and professional collaborators whose work expands their understanding of process, style, and performance practice.

Mrs. Harvey explained that the program’s guiding philosophy recognizes that students arrive with different goals and experiences, and that instruction must reflect that diversity. As she explains, “I support pre-professional dancers through structured training and performance opportunities while ensuring that students exploring dance for personal growth feel equally valued.” This differentiated approach creates layered opportunities and multiple entry points, allowing every dancer to experience meaningful success.

The impact of St. Margaret’s dance program extends far beyond the studio. For some students, this journey leads to further study in dance or the performing arts, with graduates pursuing musical theater and dance at universities such as Princeton University; the University of California, Los Angeles; Northeastern University; the University of Mississippi; Connecticut College and Barnard College. Others continue to engage in professional and pre-professional performance environments during and after their collegiate training.

These achievements reflect the depth of preparation students receive through St. Margaret’s dance program. Alumni have continued into highly competitive conservatory and university dance programs, building on experiences that include company performance, choreography leadership, and professional careers in the entertainment industry. Together, these outcomes demonstrate the program’s commitment to technical training and creative authorship for continued study and professional engagement in the performing arts.

In an evolving world where ideas are generated and shared through emerging technologies—dance offers something distinctly human. It is not input-driven or promoted, but lived in real time. At St. Margaret's students learn to move with precision, developing the confidence to rise in every season. The dance program builds their core for life, supporting every leap they take and every landing they find along the way.