On Thursday, January 9, 2014, and Friday, January 10, 2014, West High’s Dance Department presented its annual dance showcase at the Armstrong Theater. Beginning, intermediate, and advanced dancers worked long and hard for their first performance of the year: Breaking Through.

As the auditorium packed with family, friends, teachers, and peers, both the performers and the audience anxiously waited for the show to begin. Once the lights dimmed, the crowd settled and the spotlight shined on Kaylee Pinto (12) and Angel Kuo (12), West High Dance Department’s artistic directors. After they gave an introduction for the show, they left the stage, the spotlight disappeared, and the theater went black. The curtains crept open and the audience cheered loudly; the show was about to begin.

The music began and the spotlight shined on the advanced dancers as they grooved to the first performance of the night– “Who Are You Really?” This upbeat hip-hop piece stirred a lot of energy within the crowd and started the night off with a bang. Leah Rubin (12) and Marlene Watanabe (12) performed solos that were dedicated to their “family and friends who have supported them throughout their dance careers.” Leah Sato (12) and Dora Watanabe (11) choreographed a duet to “Feeling Good” in heels. Yuri Yim (10) commented, “Leah and Dora’s dance was really good, but I was scared that one of them was going to slip from their heels and fall.” Fortunately, they danced their way smoothly through the song.

In addition to solos and duets, the show was filled with full-class and half-class dances performed by advanced and intermediate dancers. The intermediate dance team performed “Can’t Stop the Beat”, “Kukere”, and “Freak”. The advanced team danced their way through “To Build A Home”.  Beginning dancers also featured in dance numbers to “Shut Up and Drive” by Rihanna and “Demons” by Imagine Dragons. Choreo Club also took part in the show as they danced to a mash-up of dubstep, hip-hop, and pop. West High’s advanced dance alumni, Stepfanie Eriksen, made a special appearance and performed a Britney Spear’s mash-up.

The show ended with “All Around the World” by the advanced dance team, which featured Justin Bieber’s latest hits. According to Ivan Yi (10), “The January show was filled with a variety of dances that were entertaining and original.” The dancers broke out of their comfort zones and showed the rest of the world the result of their hard work and dedication.