By Isaac Chapin
Arts Reporter
Despite the snow on the ground, spring is not too far away. And as we all know, with the arrival of spring comes Newton South’s annual talent show, Tertulia.
Tertulia is a festive collection of a variety of acts from every part of the Newton South community. But while almost every South student knows about Tertulia, a surprisingly small actually knows why we have this annual tradition.
Back in 1997, Newton South sophomore Maxine Chansky, an avid appreciator of the arts, died in a tragic car accident. Chansky’s family donated money to South and asked that it be used to create an annual program in her honor.
After three years of discussion, it was decided that the program would be a flamenco dance show—an art form that Maxine, a dancer herself, had enjoyed. This event was part of a larger effort to further integrate arts and culture into the school community.
When the faculty who took charge of the show found out that students wanted to perform, they brought them onstage and had them dance with the flamenco dancers.
The next year, in 2001, a Latin band was hired to play at the school, with even more students asking to perform alongside them. Musicians, singers, and dancers worked together to create a production with a strong Latin feel.
This continued for a couple more years before those in charge of the event decided to abandon outside entertainment in favor of allowing South students to showcase their own abilities. Now, over a decade later, enough students and faculty members participate to fill up an entire school day with lively performances.
We have Tertulia every year in honor of Maxine Chansky because is something that she would surely have participated in. To this day, students from Paulette’s Ballet Studio, the dance studio Maxine had attended, perform a piece every year in her memory.
In memory of Chansky’s artistic spirit, students of Newton South have an opportunity each year to come together to show off their skills and talents in front of their friends and teachers.
