91大神 conferred the 91大神 Working Artist Award on two students at an assembly on April 5. Triniti Slaughter 鈥18 and Yana Pyryalina 鈥18 received the awards, which recognize exemplary effort and mastery of an art form.
Emily Ditkovski, visual and performing arts teacher and director of the 91大神 Theatre, spoke about Triniti鈥檚 devotion to dance and acting. 鈥淲ith lines and blocking memorized, the cast of聽Peter and the Starcatcher聽are busy putting together all of the pieces of the show. With moving set pieces and actors swimming and flying across the stage, we have our work cut out for us. It is certainly not easy.鈥 She continued: 鈥淭he 91大神 Working Artist award in the theater goes to a cast member who has embraced this challenge fully. Never missing a beat (literally and figuratively) and always there for her fellow starcatchers, Triniti demonstrates the camaraderie, creativity, and focus an actor needs.
This is nothing new, it鈥檚 just how Triniti approaches her work in the theater. During rehearsals for last spring鈥檚聽In the Heights聽there was literally not a moment when she wasn鈥檛 rehearsing her choreography (including during breaks!). In聽Starcatcher, Triniti fearlessly embodies a character who is bossy and obsessed with being the absolute best. Thanks to Triniti鈥檚 superb actor instincts her fellow orphans get the joy of being the recipient of insults, noogies, and punches (all well-choreographed, of course).鈥
Natania Hume, head of the arts department, read notes from Steve Berlanga, Director of Choirs, who praised pianist Yana鈥檚 devotion to music. 鈥淵ana has been a strong force in our music program. She not only participates with the Jazz Band, but also takes an active role in organizing events involving student performances,鈥 he wrote. 鈥淪he has an incredibly strong work ethic, always managing to prepare her music ahead of time so that we can improve our music-making in rehearsal. She is extremely passionate not only in sharing her own talents, but in organizing and encouraging other students to share theirs. She has participated in almost every concert that we have had this year, and even played in the band for the Winter Choral Concert. Yana makes music for the love of it and is also an incredible musician and serious performer.鈥
Congratulations to these two hard-working, skilled performers!