Family and friends fill up the seats, all thrilled to see the performance that is about to happen in front of their eyes. The lights go off, the curtains open, the crowd goes quiet and the first performance of the spring FVHS dance concert begins.
The showcase took place Thursday, May 8, in the school auditorium and was run by the performing arts teacher, Deborah Gray.
This showcase consisted of beginning and experienced dancers, each having the opportunity to showcase their commitment and their hard work they’ve put in over the past month. The FVHS dance class is known for working really hard to always give the best performance to their audience. The fall showcase had a lot of positive reviews, so families and students were very excited to see what the spring showcase was going to be about.
The dance team did a spirit week the week leading up to the show to remind everyone and get them excited for the show. On Monday, the dancers wore school merch; Tuesday was tie dye day; Wednesday was bring your childhood stuffed animal to dress rehearsal; and Thursday marked concert day. On the day of the show, the dancers were instructed to have a “nice dress day,” with a strict dress code of not being able to wear things like leggings or sweatpants. The dancers themselves loved this spirit week and were very excited about the show because it was something they have been working so hard on.
For new and even experienced dancers, the showcase could be nerve wracking. Having to perform in front of multiple people can raise a lot of anxiety for many, but the dancers have come up with ways to mentally prepare themselves for such a big event.
“I felt nervous and excited before going onstage. I had to mentally prepare myself for this. I did so by telling myself that we as a dance class and family are bound to make mistakes but wont judge each other for the mistakes we make,” said sophomore Alyysia Boylan.
Being in a class like dance can help people build confidence, performance skills, and create memories. Sophomore Aldijana Racinovic believes being in this class made her become more confident and better at expressing herself as a person.
“The fun times with my friends backstage made the night really special and amazing,” said Racinovic.
With these skills being gained in the class, it makes dancing really fun and entertaining. If you or anyone you know that goes to FVHS would be interested in taking such an amazing class, check out the dance team Instagram page.
