Irvington’s first competitive dance class has expanded from a small cohort to a talented team, showcasing their routines in several performances in school and competitions, such as the recent regional dance competition that took place. The class takes place during seventh period, which additionally allows students passionate about dance to receive PE credit. Before January 2024, the only dance classes available at Irvington were Dance 1 and Dance 2, which are only offered during the school day. Unlike Dance 1 and Dance 2, competitive dance requires an audition. The class also provides a vast array of opportunities for dancers, including chances to perform in competitions and shows.
The class begins around 3:25 PM after students change into dance clothes and custom jackets. After that, the students review their respective dances and prepare for their performances in upcoming competitions. A few days every week another choreographer works with the team so that they can fix mistakes and improve the overall appearance of the dance. Choreographers lead each piece, offering suggestions for improvement. Longtime dancer Veronika Timoshenko (10), who joined the class to be a part of a collaborative dance community says, “The people in our class are very encouraging and it’s a great atmosphere for dancing. The teachers and choreographers are very understanding.”
Although the class maintains a sense of community and teamwork, students also have opportunities for individual expression. Dancers are given chances to create their own choreography and perform solos. Veronika remarked, “My favorite memory from this class would probably be learning my solo. The choreographer is amazing, and the learning experience has been wonderful.”
The dancers are exposed to many styles of dance—from contemporary, jazz, and lyrical to cultural dances, including Bollywood. Kavya Gillela (12) comments, “Before this class I was mostly exposed to classical dance, but this class helped me move out of my comfort zone by trying different genres. For this competition, we did jazz, lyrical, and Bollywood.” Their first performance was at the winter rally, with the group dancing to “SOS” by Rihanna and “All I Want for Christmas is You” by Mariah Carey.
The team’s first competitive event was a regional competition called West Coast Elite, held at Valley Christian High School on January 18th. Irvington’s dance team emerged victorious, with the Bollywood group scoring first place, small lyrical in second, small jazz winning fourth, and medium jazz winning fifth. Lashya Gillela (10) remarked, “All of us were nervous because it was our first competition, but all the teams were so supportive and it was a very positive environment to kick off our competitive dance team’s journey! We hope to one day make it to nationals.”
This class is unique in the sense that it is heavily student-run, with the dancers given a significant amount of voice in the performance, ranging from choreo to genres performed to costumes. It is also a place for team building and memories, whether it be running a successful fundraiser together or eating pizza after a fun and tiring competition. If you’re interested in joining, there is an open house on January 30th during flex in the dance studio!
