The University High School (UHS) Dance Company hosted their annual Dance Showcase on February 20 and February 21. Dance Showcase featured many different genres of dance performed by a wide variety of students. Trina Sarkar (Sr.), Dance Company President, said “Showcase is different from other shows because it has such a great variety of people and cultures within it.” The diversity and variety of styles and cultures created a truly unique and mesmerizing show.
The wide variety of cultures that were represented at the performance was astounding. Grace Xu (Jr.)’s “Chinese Traditional Ribbon Dance” was beautiful and mesmerizing and provided a stunning example of a traditional Chinese dance. Xu said “I was inspired to audition for showcase because I have only ever performed for Chinese parents or at cultural festivals. People at school did not really know that I danced, so I decided it wouldbe fun to be part of a full production on a slightly different stage than I was used to.”
Dance Showcase also featured some Indian dances. Simron Kahlon (Sr.) and Maha Shah (Sr.) choreographed an amazing compilation of Indian dance styles in their dance “Browntown,” performed by themselves and other UHS students. The many young men and women dancing in synchronization was a sight to see.
With diversity and variety being an apparent theme in the Dance Showcase, a number of different genres of dance were also performed, such as ballet, hip-hop and anything in between. For example, Anabella Rangel-Sanchez (Jr.)’s solo, “Say it’s Possible,” demonstrated the elegant and fluid movements of ballet, while Katrina Herbosa (Jr.) and Kyle Cortejo (Jr.)’s “Underground” was an impressive display of hip hop and ended the first Act in style.
The Dance Showcase was very popular, managing to gather an impressive crowd both nights. While each dance was unique, expressive and entertaining, the finale of Act 2 “Forsaken,” performed by the Dance Company officers, left a lasting impression on the audience.
Dance Company has one more show planned for this year:the Annual Spring Show, on May 23, 24, 30 and 31. They promise the Annual Spring Show will be as entertaining at the previous two and is surely not to be missed!
By RYAN CORNELLIER
Staff Writer