On Thursday night, May 7 at 6:00 , Dance teacher Vivian Blanco’s Spearettes and dance classes took to the stage for their final concert of the year titled “The Wonderful World of Disney Musicals.”
They performed 22 songs total, all being from popular Disney movies and series such as “Better Than Stereo” from “Liv and Maddie,” and the opening song to the early 2010’s hit show, “Shake It Up.”
Performances were organized by level, with easier choreography being executed by beginners, and more difficult routines by the more advanced dance classes.
A variety of genres were displayed during the concert, ranging from jazz and hip-hop to ballet-esque sequences. Along with these dances came unique costumes that connected to the lyrics and vibes of each performance.
“There’s a part where they [Liv and Maddie] talk about being up in the sunshine, and so our costumes were yellow. Also, for ‘Shake It Up,’ our costumes were purple, and it related to the color of the songs cover photo,” freshman Monxzerath Salazar said.
This final recital marked the end of the first year for freshmen dancers, but was more importantly the last performance for the seniors graduating this year.
The second day of the recital, May 8, the final performance honored upcoming graduates with their senior night. The emotional evening showcased bonds between friends and siblings through a commemoration to say farewell to the senior dancers.
“One of the performances we did was ‘I Will Always Remember You,’ and it was a duet with my other senior friend Zoe. It was just about how we’re always going to remember each other no matter the distance,” senior Zamariah Gonzalez said.
Their performance was an example of the connections you can make with our dance program, expressing true friendship to all that witnessed it.
Along with the commemoration of the seniors was a strong tradition celebrated by the Spearettes. On the dance team, “veterans” are the older and more experienced dancers that are assigned a “little sister” that will be under their guidance until graduation. These sisters are the rookies on the team that still need a little shaping by upperclassmen with more knowledge.
To end the recital, seniors were allowed to bring someone special onto the stage to put their cap and gown on for them in farewell. Soon to be graduates, such as Zoe, brought up their “sisters” in a deep and emotional closing of their final year dancing.
“It was a moment to take in that I’m going to leave and graduate soon, and that was really exciting. I definitely thought ‘wow, it’s real and the time has come that I’m going to graduate.'” expressed senior Zoe Herrera.
The spring recital sparked sentiment in us all, leaving a bittersweet ending to our senior dancers and their families. Although they have ended their story as Spartans, their paths will forever be connected to each other and dance will always be in their hearts.
Photos by Isabel Valenzuela
