Senior Annie Snow from Harrisonburg High School jumps into the air for her part in the performance of “Party Rock.” Snow’s split-jump is a part of the performance which required extra practice. “To perform the split-jump, I had to improve my flexibility and I had to work on my squats, so that I would be able to get the momentum I need to get up in the air,” Snow said. For Snow, this part of the performance is unlike other jumps. “The split-jump is one of the few tricks in dance that I can do really well. It’s something that I have to prepare for during the performance, but once I’m off the ground it’s just a freeing moment that feels effortless,” Snow said.
Dance classes from both Harrisonburg and Rocktown High School moved from solos to group choreography throughout their fall performances on Thursday night. Fifteen out of the 38 performers were seniors who participated in their final fall concert in high school.
Rocktown senior Jandilee Ramos-Richards said the performance felt more like a beginning than an end.
“Even though this is the last fall performance in my high school dance career, it doesn’t feel like the last time I will do something like this,” Ramos-Richards said.
Harrisonburg senior Makayla Suffecool said she had mixed emotions on her final high school fall concert.
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“I enjoy every moment that I get to dance and perform, but fall concerts are never my favorite because they’re so short, and all of the rehearsals and performances go so fast. I am glad that it is over and now we get to focus on the holiday performance and other competitions in the spring,” Suffecool said.
Rocktown seniors Molly Wells and Ki’anni Lee perform their section in “Finding.” This dance was choreographed by Rocktown dance teacher, Sandra Grinberg; however, different sections were created by students in the honors dance class at Rocktown. “My favorite part about ‘Finding’ was the freedom we had to create our own sections and perform parts that fit our style,” Wells said. Dance provides an outlet for Wells’ emotions. “To me, dance means a space where I can express emotions without judgment,” Wells said. (Addie Rose Campbell)Harrisonburg senior Abby Gibson performs her solo, “Am I Dreaming.” Gibson created the choreography to submit to dance supplementals at schools across the country. “I wanted it to feel like I was underwater, so that was my inspiration for the choreography. But ultimately, I chose movements that fit my body and my style,” Gibson said. (Addie Rose Campbell)Rocktown senior Jandilee Ramos-Richards performs their solo “Eucalyptus.” Ramos-Richards describes the symbolism behind their solo. “I based the piece on struggles with ADHD in school, burnout and some mental health issues. I wanted to take that negativity and make it into something positive,” Ramos-Richards said. The title of their piece, “Eucalyptus,” holds a hidden meaning. “The Eucalyptus tree is the main starter of wildfires because it is filled with oils that are extremely flammable, but the irony of that is when it burns, its seeds are extremely flame resistant and sprouts immediately, so it’s also very giving,” Ramos-Richards said. (Addie Rose Campbell)Harrisonburg sophomore Ellie Ephraim leaps across the stage for her part in the piece, “Cats.” Jumping across the stage is a main proponent of the performance. “We weren’t really given much choreography for this piece, we were really only asked how we felt about leaping across the stage, and I was all for it,” Ephraim said. Ephraim described her biggest fear for performing her part. “The scariest part is worrying about falling. At that moment, I was most worried about landing weird and rolling my ankle,” Ephraim said. (Addie Rose Campbell)Dancers from both Rocktown and Harrisonburg perform the piece “Carrying the Banner.” Harrisonburg sophomore Lacy Calhoun described what went into learning the dance. “We did a few morning rehearsals, but this is something we spent time on in class so it was a little easier to memorize,” Calhoun said. (Addie Rose Campbell)
The next dance event featuring both Harrisonburg and Rocktown is the holiday parade in downtown Harrisonburg on Saturday, Dec. 6 at 7 p.m.
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