The 2025 Variety Show took place on January 25 in Benjamin Hall. This annual show is known for its diverse talents and student involvement. From singers to lacrosse players, the Variety Show can be counted on to display all sorts of skills.
One major part of the show each year is the Dazzlers showcase of their new dances. There are many acts that they perform in groups, duos, and solos. Included in these dances was senior and team captain Lulu Swank.
“I’ve been involved in the Variety Show since my freshman year which was when I moved here. I love being able to see all of the different parts of the school come together, including the first graders up to us as seniors. It’s just really nice getting to see everyone together to create a great show,” shares Swank.
This show always features a “Daddy-Daughter dance” to bring in even more of a diverse crowd. For this performance, there was a superhero theme with costumes galore. Fathers, daughters, and Dazzlers wore their outfits with enthusiasm.
“We normally have about five or six group dances that we have to participate in and I also help out with the daddy-daughter number that I was asked to help with my sophomore year and have continued on with ever since,” says Swank as she explains part of her role as dance captain.
Another part of the show was the Boys Varsity Lacrosse team’s performance to “You’ve Got a Friend in Me.” To celebrate their camaraderie and spirit for the sport and school, the senior boys on the team sang and danced to this heartwarming song while dressed in suits and top hats.
In addition to the wide variety of people involved, an Upper School teacher also took part in the performance. Ms. Shweta Naik who recently came to the school as a history and humanities teacher danced alongside four dazzlers, Bryce Seger, Kenzie Walsh, Ava Reece, and Sierra Mckinney. This “Bollywood Spectacular” dance added even more widespread community involvement into this year’s Variety Show.
It is very clear to the audience that this show is not simply thrown together. Instead, it takes months and months of dedication, time, and effort to make everything come out as beautifully as it does.
“We normally start working on our dances around October and we work on them for typically 6 days a week from that time until the show. We then spend about two or three weeks running the show every day, working on lighting, getting costumes, and a lot more goes into it behind the scenes,” explains Swank for more context.
The 2024-2025 school year’s Variety Show has culminated into an extravagant display of the talent that surrounds the Benjamin School. With so many students, parents, teachers, and professionals, the show would not work without lots of collaboration and expertise that is clearly present in our community.
