by Sophia Togneri
As the lyrics of Jason Lancaster’s song “Change” began, Nathan Bentley knew that that dance was one of the last times he would be performing. He put his heart and soul into that performance, the only solo he’d ever done. He would later deem the performance the best of his life.
Bentley’s senior solo marked for him the end of a part of his life. After his graduation from Nipmuc High in 2015, he began his life as a choreographer. Part of that new life included his role as the Hudson High School dance team coach.
Over his dancing career Bentley has suffered multiple injuries, including a developmental back disease, two torn calves, and a torn ligament in his knee. These injuries forced him to decide that choreographing is what he wanted to do with his life.
“I’ve started changing the way that I do things to be more of an inspiration to other people than to impress other people,” said Bentley. “I don’t have the chance anymore to dance on stage and wow people. Now I’m going to be in classrooms to teach [them].”
He was interested in more ways to teach and inspire more students. He gladly takes any opportunity he gets to continue to choreograph. That dedication is what led him to take the job at HHS. His students appreciate his teaching style and the modern choreography he brings to the class.
“He is fun to be around,” said Hannah Farrell, a three-year veteran of the dance team. “He’s more of our friend than a teacher or some really harsh authoritative figure.”
He not only knows the girls from their dance team, but from Dance On, a local dance studio where most of the girls attend classes. He choreographs there.
“When he came to Dance On, we didn’t really know him at first, but he became a part of the family. I look up to him as an older brother,” said dance team captain Aly Haley. “I saw what he had done with trio [a three-person competition dance]. It was really well done, and they won twice at competition. I thought that he could do some great things with the dance team.”
Bentley comes to class with his choreography planned out and the knowledge of which steps will cause the dancers trouble. Having this knowledge is the sign of a veteran teacher, something that is rare for somebody his age. This knowledge allows for the dancers on the team to have complete trust in him and to be productive in their rehearsals. In one rehearsal they choreographed 45 seconds of a dance in one hour, a level of productivity that is almost unheard of.
“It’s a connection that you have to build over time. It’s like a friendship. He’ll say something, and we’ll be laughing the rest of the class. Then he’ll yell at us, but it’s not mean — just stern. But it’s great,” freshman Shannon Downing said laughing.
Bentley knows that as a choreographer, and as a teacher, that it is his job to remind his students to not be afraid to be themselves. This self confidence is something Bentley had to first learn for himself. In high school, he struggled with bullying over his love for dance because male dancers are not common in the area where he grew up. In the face of bullying though, Bentley continued dancing as a form of self expression.
“This kid’s determination and motivation [to] dance [inspires me],” Justin Bentley, an aspiring musician and Nathan’s older brother said. “By just watching him do what he does every day to become better and be the best that he can be inspires me to keep going with my music.”
Bentley is committed to his team and brings a new style of choreography to HHS. Members of the dance team say that he teaches a more professional and refined style of hip-hop.
During rehearsal, when the performance song is played, every dancer in the room is trying to execute the steps to perfection, even though hip hop may not be their strongest style. Every eye is on Bentley as he does the dance in front of them or alongside them.
“He takes his time to explain each detail of the moves,” Haley said. “Hip hop is a really intricate style, so he doesn’t just throw the steps at us. He takes the time to explain each step to us and make sure we’re doing it right.”
Bentley has a passion for dance that had been unshaken since he started dancing at age three. He wants to cultivate this love for dance within his students and seeks to do so with a fun teaching style as well as a commitment to the team.
No matter what form of dance Bentley has worked in, whether it be performing or choreographing, it has always been an irreplaceable part of his life, and it’s not only irreplaceable for him but also for every girl on the dance team.
“[Dance is] a choice, it’s a freedom of expression,” Bentley said. “It’s something that you can live in, and it’s something that you can love and it’s something you can use to express yourself. Dance has always been very very special to me.”
