On March 5, the stage of the Martin Marietta Center came alive with a vibrant celebration of student creativity: “Pieces of Gold”. Marking its 42nd anniversary this year, the beloved showcase brings together hundreds of talented students from all over Wake County for an unforgettable performance of music, dance and theater. Among these performers, Enloe stood out for moving performances from our Jazz Ambassadors, the Small Ensemble Chamber Orchestra, Chamber Chorus and Dance Ensemble, each group exhibiting weeks of dedication, hard work, and creativity.
Enloe’s main part of the show was a four-minute long program in collaboration with dance, orchestra, and chorus. Alice Ju, director of Enloe’s orchestra program, explains that the project was “quite an undertaking”, as something like this had never been done at “Pieces of Gold” before. Being able to do such a big performance with over 50 students is a very unique opportunity, and is just something that doesn’t happen very often due to lack of planning, coordination, and rehearsal space.
In order to ensure the success of the performance, rehearsals were a bit unconventional. The only space the department had was in Enloe’s auditorium, often holding rehearsals outside of class. However, Ms. Ju admits the out of the ordinary rehearsals were never an issue, due to the sheer talent of the students.
Other teachers of the arts department have noted the impact of the “Pieces of Gold” performance as well. Performing on the same stage with such a diverse group of students, which extended from K-12 grades, is a once in a lifetime opportunity. Particular moments of pride came from both the teachers and the students. The collaboration and camaraderie between all 3 teachers played a crucial role in bringing this performance to life, a meaningful display of teamwork. Junior Violet Moore attests her favorite part of “Pieces of Gold” being the moment the arts department submitted their audition video. There was no doubt that Enloe had earned its place.
When asked the question, “What does ‘Pieces of Gold’ mean to you?” Moore compiles it all into two words. “It was incredibly exciting,” she shares. “‘Pieces of Gold’ is such a prestigious event; I’ve known about it since elementary school, and this year, I finally got to live the experience. It’s just something that’s been hyped up for my whole life.”
Mia Coburn of Dance Ensemble had a similar experience. Like Chamber Chorus, the Dance Ensemble already had material to work with from a previous performance (the 2025 winter concert). However, due to several key factors unique to “Pieces of Gold”, adjustments had to be made. When choreographing a dance routine, many aspects have to be considered. This includes questions such as “Is there enough room for the moves we want to do?” and “is it enough room to dance full out?”. Coburn recalls the rehearsal process being hectic as they raced to figure out all the logistics in such a short time.
Although there were some challenges, the performance itself went smoothly, largely due to the rigorous training schedule of the dancers. Aside from the rehearsal time that went into the routine previously, Dance Ensemble trained 2-3 times a week leading up to “Pieces of Gold”.
Being on a stage with the intense prestige of the Martin Marietta Center can feel daunting. But when people from the audience get up to start dancing along with you and you’re surrounded by those equally passionate about the arts as you are, everything seems to fit into place as one big, united, community.
“Pieces of Gold” has never been just a performance — it’s a collective celebration of how arts education has the power to shape students to be confident and creative individuals. Enloe is proud to be a part of that, gaining a new perspective on what it means to express, connect and grow through art.
Make sure not to miss out on Gifts of Gold, a juried art exhibition celebrating the visual arts happening on April 10, 2025, at 6:00 P.M.! More information can be found here.
