Hersey Orchesis

dance company

CHRISTINE WIDELL, DIRECTOR

STEPHANIE KELLY, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR

About Orchesis

2025 - 2026 Performance Schedule

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About Orchesis

Orchesis is an audition based dance company that meets as a class and after school activity. The company is comprised of 40 members (freshmen - seniors). Orchesis performs numerous times throughout the year, including The Big Game, Homecoming Hafltime, Basketball Games, with the highlight being our annual concert in February. Additional student-choreographed performances include our Annual Holiday Showcase, featuring several student-choreographed holiday pieces. In previous years we have performed at Chicago Bulls games and we were also selected to perform in Disney World in 2020, 2023, and 2025! We are also very proud that Hersey Orchesis has been selected for State 8 times in the past 9 years! ('17, '19, '20, '21, '22, '23, '24, '25)

While Orchesis dancers most often create and perform student-choreographed work, throughout our season the company members have multiple opportunities to learn from guest artists. These professionals set choreography and teach master classes, exposing the dancers to various forms of dance. Dancers are exposed to a variety of styles through Orchesis including, but not limited to, jazz, hip hop, contemporary, and ballet. Each year we participate in the District 214 Artist in Residence project, performing original choreography from a selected choreographer, with our fellow D214 Orchesis Companies. For the past 12 years we have been honored to perform at Barrington High School in the Giordano Choreography Project. The Project allows for several area dance companies to work with different Giordano dancers for a few months. The original works are performed at the annual concert.

Orchesis also partners with our CLS program thoughout the year with our Dynamite Dancers program. Orchesis dancers spend time sharing their love of dance with D214 CLS students and they perform together at selected events.