HILLTOP NEWS Over 50 years of excellence in student journalism | Issue 80 Volume 9 | June 8, 2012
Atascadero High School Student Journalism Published by Atascadero News Editor: Brianna Yancheson
Dance Revolution was a stunning blend of AHS student dancers BY HUNTER CARRANZA
T
he 2012 AHS Dance Show, Dance Revolution, took place on May 12 at 7 p.m. at the Atascadero Junior High. The show featured students from the dance classes at AHS, and there were many different genres of dance performed, along with group and solo performances. Alan Pietsch is the dance teacher and was the producer and director for the show. The dance classes did not start working on
the show until late this year; they did not decide to do a dance show until March. Mr. Pietsch hired Desire Brush to teach the Advance dance class a hip-hop dance. Mr. Pietsch commented, “We rehearsed mostly in our class, but the student choreographers Kayla Morrow, Star Santiago, Olga Siebrass, Stephanie Dever, Alyssa Mackey, David Ramos, Alyssa Brown, Matisse Swanson, Karin Corria and Marissa Rush rehearsed completely on their own time, mostly weekends, after
Photo by Lauren Austin
Kayla Morrow leaps over Joseph Burkett during the triumphant return of the annual AHS dance show.
school, and holidays.” Choreographers volunteered to help with the dance show. Next year, there will be auditions for the choreographers and they will be chosen by a panel of judges. It was not mandatory for all of the students in the dance classes to perform in the show, although it has been in the past. A group of 15 dancers performed the first piece, titled “Ooh-La-la,” with music by Vishal Shekar. It was wonderfully choreographed and was a unique dance because of the Indian beat and melody. Another performance that stood out due to the choreography was “Invasion de Gaga”. It was choreographed by Star Santiago and performed by Alyssa Brown,
Alicia Clark, Amina Irvin, Ari Lagomarsino, Star Santiago, and Olga Siebress. The music was a compilation of Lady Gaga songs and the choreography featured balancing on chairs and raising stunts. The finale was performed by all of the company dancers, dancing to “Rock this Party” by Bob Sinclair. The dance show is one of the main performing arts shows that AHS features throughout the year that is composed of almost all student work. The dance show is annual, although they had a Flash Mob last fall. Next year, Mr. Pietsch hopes to add more shows in other school districts and at community events.