An Insight to Dance at Independence

The dance program at Independence High School is divided between 4 levels, each getting more and more difficult- beginning, intermediate, advanced, and performance. As the years progress, students will continue to move up levels, improving their technical and emoting skills. At the end of every semester each class shows off what they have learned in a choreographed dance during the winter and spring shows. Each semester has 3 nights where students have to be prepared for, starting Wednesday till Friday. With their dedication practicing in the danceroom, these dance students show off their skills in a 3 minute routine. 

Dance teacher and pomline coach, Alexandra Montoya, explained “I try to prepare students for the dance show by practicing and reviewing technique at the beginning of the semester before we start working on learning choreography.”  Montoya teaches newcomers how to do basic skills to succeed in dance; as time goes on and there is more practice, these techniques will begin to improve. As for the higher levels, she reviews each day a different skill a student has to focus on for that day to become stronger at it. 

In order to make it into advance or performance, students will have to audition. Montoya brings in choreographers to teach two routines to students. Students will learn one contemporary and one hiphop routine in a day; sometimes they can be very difficult dances. The next day, students will have to come to auditions prepared to perform the routines taught the day before in front of Montoya to see if they have potential to move up.

Senior in advanced, Adalina Santana, said she feels happy and “accomplished after a performance knowing that I put as much energy into the dance as possible”. Santana also mentioned that she tries to pay attention when she’s learning new choreography and puts energy into every single performance she puts on stage. 

Having such a big program to run and in order to come up with different concepts, Mrs. Montoya states, “performance dance helps come up with themes/concepts for the dance show and they get to vote on their favorite one”.

When asked what her biggest challenge in advance has been so far, Senior Camila Martinez, explained “the biggest challenge yet has been trying to learn new techniques that we’ve never practiced before and trying to match expectations”.  Montoya added, “The spring show will usually have harder technique than the fall one since by then students had had more time to work on technique”. 

Martinez’s motivation to keep on practicing her skills is hoping she will be put in the front line for one of her dances. Martinez said, “I want my family to be able to see me on stage during senior night giving it my all”. 

The dance program is known for putting out fun, and exciting performances. Right now both Santana and Martinez are learning their choreographies for their next upcoming show in late April. They are practicing their technical and emoting skills in hopes of putting on a great performance for their last show ever.

Any students who are interested in joining dance next year, Montoya correspondingly said, “I believe dance helps students at Independence by giving them a creative outlet and allowing them to express themselves.” Don’t be scared to join something you aren’t sure about. Dance creates a community not only inside but also outside of school. Students become like a family, helping each other get ready for their performances, messing around, and laughing together will create unity. In the end you never know if you’ll enjoy it if you don’t give it a chance.