The month of May has been full of accomplishments for the Long Island High School for the Arts; young artists and performers from across Long Island took center stage to show what new heights they achieved during the school year.
On May 1, seniors in the school participated in the Senior Showcase cabaret at the Jerusalem Avenue School in Bellmore. May 12 featured the school’s Spring Music Festival, in partnership with the Town of Oyster Bay and Nassau BOCES Outdoor Education. Shortly after, on May 14, another cohort of students carried out the Spring Dance Festival. The Film and Media Arts festival came into focus on May 27.
One of the largest projects that came to fruition was LIHSA’s new travel show “Pinkalicious.” The group of students already performed shows at the Long Island School for the Gifted in Syosset and again at Jerusalem Avenue.
“The spring is always crazy, but we have so many beautiful events we get to celebrate,” LIHSA Principal Lindsay Rogan said. “We really strive to be able to provide opportunities that students might not be able to find elsewhere on Long Island… (and) we are so happy to partner with our districts that send students to us, because we are so excited to share all of this with our partnering districts.”
Archie Lithgow and Hanalei Smith are seniors at Long Beach High School, with plans to attend college later this year.
Lithgow shared more about the National Dance Honor Society and how LIHSA has prepared him for opportunities.
“LIHSA has prepared me for the professional dance world in several different ways,” he said. “It’s not like any other dance studio space that I’ve ever experienced before. It’s incredibly professional, hands on, and taught me a work ethic that I didn’t think was possible in the dance world… We get a great taste of what the professional world is like in a firsthand way.”
LIHSA also encourages students to support their neighborhoods with community service hours or other initiatives connected to their events. Smith’s past performances have gathered donations for various causes.
“We have different donations that you can do,” she explained. “We have an animal shelter, one you can donate different dog toys, dog beds and treats… We also can help out for open houses, help set up and give tours, and also we can help sell at the bake sales.”
Olivia Carmody and Cooper daSilva are juniors at East Meadow High School, splitting their days between normal curriculum and theatrical training at LIHSA. The two students have been passionate about theater since childhood.
“I’ve been doing theater since I was in sixth grade, and when I was in the end of my eighth-grade year, heard about LIHSA and their summer program, so I came here and I auditioned for it,” daSilva said.
Out of the school’s many majors — studio or digital art, coding, film and more — Carmody opted to pursue musical theater as a combination of multiple interests.
“Musical Theater does a kind of a little bit of dance, a little bit of singing and a little bit of acting,” she explained. “I think it’s really important for people our age to find something that they’re good at and be able to follow that passion and be able to refine their skills, and this school really gives that to us.”
To learn more about upcoming events, visit LongIslandHighSchoolForTheArts.org.
