By Jordan Xiao
Copy Editor
Photos by Stephanie Kim
The dance program held its second and final concert of the school year in the auditorium on Friday, May 15. The event, titled “Danspiration”, featured 12 dances ranging in style from traditional folk to classical to contemporary.
Advanced Dance opened the night with a cheery rendition of the “Jellicle Ball” from the Broadway musical Cats. Senior Helen Yip and sophomore Thomas Moreno followed with a duet to Björk’s “All Is Full of Love,” before members of Dance I and II took the stage in a “Cycle Song” fusing Asian and Latin elements; the performance marked the new dance courses’ first major participation in a concert.
Dance II continued with a lively line-dance to Christina Aguilera’s “Beautiful People,” followed by senior Jasmine Johnson’s performance of “Solitude” from Sophisticated Ladies. The first act of the concert concluded with a spirited “West African Dance” featuring drum accompaniment by members of the SPHS Band and chanting from Advanced Dance.
After a brief intermission, members of Winter Guard opened the second act with a modified version of “As the Rain Drops,” which earned them fourth place at finals last month. Advanced Dance then seized the stage in “To Be Alone,” a contemporary piece choreographed by senior and dance president Emily Rodriguez.
“When I began to choreograph ‘To Be Alone’ I was inspired by personal experiences which made me feel alone,” Rodriguez said. “The process of bringing together this piece gave me the strength to overcome my personal issues.”
Yip returned to the stage for a fourth time to perform “Take Me Home,” which earned her third place at the SPHS Talent Show in February. After a themed rendition of “All That Jazz” from Chicago, alumni Nailah Jamerson, Liz Jayamaha, and Joy Kwon took the stage for a lively hip hop performance choreographed by Jayamaha and Kwon.
The concert culminated in over 100 dancers slipping between the auditorium front rows and stage for a flash-mob-like performance to Mark Ronson’s “Uptown Funk.” Dance members also recognized dance instructors, chief choreographers, and concert co-directors Maria Del Bagno and Courtney Cheyne for their dedication to expanding the school’s dance program, ending the evening on an upbeat note.