Surrounded by family and friends, juniors Maya Greenblum and Ella Arking perform “Hometown Glory” by Adele in the Feith Beit Midrash. Their performance was one of many small group performances that occurred throughout the night. Students were able to sign up for a five-minute slot and perform whatever they wanted. With parents, students and teachers in the audience, there was a significant turnout in the small group performance section of the event.
Both Greenblum and Arking have been performing for the school since middle school, at Kab Shabs, spring and winter concerts and Arts Chai Lights. Arking has been a member of the Shir Madness a cappella group and is in Instrumental Ensemble, and Greenblum is currently a member of Shir Madness and a conductor for the group. Arking and Greenblum have performed together at many JDS events, with the event on Wednesday night being their last Arts Chai Lights together.
“Ella and I have been performing together for quite a while,” Greenblum said. “The first time we performed together was middle school, so it was very special to be able to perform with her again at Arts Chai-Lights. We picked a song that we both really loved and have heard a lot together, and we made sure to practice it. I think the piano was beautiful, but overall it was very special to perform a song with Ella, when we have such a deep connection together when it comes to music and singing and performances.”
Driven by her passion for visual arts, junior Leah Fagin manages a drawing and painting table at the Blecher Family Arts Chai-Lights on May 21. Arts Chai-Lights is an annual event held at the CESJDS Upper School that showcases visual and performing arts from both the Lower and Upper schools. Throughout the hallways of the school displayed open galleries of students’ artwork, performances, art-making booths and students’ STEM work.
At Fagin’s station, there were numerous still-life model objects, such as flowers and human figures. Fagin said she often finds that there is a big emphasis on the performing arts at JDS which makes her role at a visual arts station at Arts Chai-Lights even more special to her.
“I think giving kids the opportunity to create art is something really special,” Fagin said. “When I was younger, coming to Art Chai-Lights and getting to paint really inspired me to continue this into high school.”
