Bhangra Beatz

When I first heard about Bhangra Beatz in middle school, I immediately knew I wanted to be a part of the team because I wanted to continue my passion for dance through high school. Since my audition four years ago, I’ve learned an immense amount of new skills and techniques through Bhangra Beatz and gained a family on the team. Now I’m a captain, and I’ve enjoyed the new appreciation for dance that Bhangra Beatz has provided.

I have been training in Bharatanatyam, a classical dance style from Tamil Nadu, India, since I was six years old. Bhangra Beatz has allowed me to create pieces that showcase my classical background to the South’s audience who, despite their unfamiliarity, are always eager to celebrate all Indian styles of dance. 

Bhangra Beatz strives to entertain the Glenbrook community by sharing our passion for dance. Engaging our audience in exciting performances, including at the Variety Show, Jamnesty, World Cultures Fest, and other dance shows, makes them feel the joy and vibrancy I attach to Indian culture. On stage, I always feel like I am a part of a bigger community, including both my teammates and the audience, who are all celebrating the beaty of Indian culture through dance. 

Seeing the audience’s reactions to our performances is one of my favorite parts of the team. Without fail after every performance, someone stops me to compliment our performance. I’ve even had people recognize dancers outside of school and stop them to say how much they enjoy our performances.

Being able to leave our audience with such a lasting impression of our team is an incredible feat. It always makes me immensely proud of my team because I know the dedication and hours of hard work it takes. We spend hours choreographing, learning, and perfecting our dances. Bhangra Beatz always steps up to the plate and dazzles everyone, myself included. 

Bhangra Beatz is not just a team, but also a family made up of people binded by our shared passion for dance and the desire to share it with the GBS community. I’m incredibly honored to be a part of this community.

Latino Heat

I’ve been on Latino Heat for three years, and I love that many Hispanic members, including myself, get the opportunity to showcase traditional Hispanic dance styles to a very diverse school community. I believe it is crucial to share Latin culture through dance. 

Latin culture is filled with a lot of rich traditions that bring everyone together as a family. Although our dance team focuses on Latin dance, each year our team attracts new non-Hispanic members who want to be part of the group. 

Throughout the school year, Latino Heat participates in many performances such as the Orchesis dance show, Variety Show, pep rallies, assemblies, and The Orchesis Dance Show. The Variety Show is one of the most popular performances we have at GBS, and Latino Heat proudly gets to perform in it every year.

Along with the many opportunities to perform, I enjoy that we choreograph our own dances. Although choreographing a dance piece can sometimes be overwhelming and stressful, because it takes a lot of time and energy. Despite this, many of our dancers are skilled and willing to share their knowledge in order to help us choreograph beautiful dances. Latino Heat is a student-run club, therefore we have to accept the responsibility and obstacles that can arise during our dance sessions. This requires a lot of team building when it comes to choreographing and helps us grow stronger as a team.

Not only do we have fun exploring and creating new dance choreography each year, but we also have fun listening to a variety of music genres ranging from the 90s to the present. We learn about teamwork and finding strategies to hear every voice, whether it’s about music choice or choreographing. We encourage anyone who is a dancer or who is interested in improving their dance skills to join Latino Heat and experience the heat.

De La Cru

Pride and passion-that is the world of dance. For 16 years, I’ve spent time on stage, relishing in the pride dance brings and the passion it has created in me. Filling every waking moment with a dance group, show, or audition is my version of fun. Trading my free time for passion was a choice I made then and one I continue to choose now.

In 2021 though, this lifestyle sent me for a loop. I had been ecstatic earlier in May when I auditioned for and made De La Cru, South’s hip-hop dance club, but now this accomplishment became a heavy weight on my chest. 

“Twenty-one  hours  of dance a week, an honors class schedule, yearbook editor, family, friends, faith…” my mind echoed louder and louder as the commitments racked up. 

So I quit De La Cru. All year long, I watched as De La Cru lit up every stage they stepped on, stole every crowd they performed for, and grew closer as not only a team, but as a family. I mourned every opportunity I left behind. So from then on, I promised myself I would take every chance I got to make the next year, my senior year, the best.

After auditions this year, when I was granted a spot once again on De La Cru, I knew immediately how much this team would impact my pride and passion for dance. 

Not only would I get to choreograph with my peers, put on a show for all my friends, and be a part of a community full of talent and love, but I was given another chance to share the beauty of dance with others.

De La Cru is many things. It is creative, impressive, challenging, musical, hard-working, intricate, and fun. But most of all, De La Cru is about togetherness. 

Most people are surprised to learn that a different group of De La Cru members choreographs each dance we perform. From the music selection to the formation changes, us dancers do it all. 

De La Cru opens a unique realm of dance that few people have the opportunity of stepping into. 

Being a part of this team taught me that dance is not just about you, it is not just about the hip-hop or the hype, it is about creating something that everyone, dancers and viewers alike, can enjoy.

Poms

At the age of four, a  week before my first dance recital, I stared up at my mom and refused to perform. She was a little distraught; we had already purchased the costume and I had a big role in my petite ballerina class’s routine. Although she  pleaded with me, I was a stubborn preschooler. I was not going to step foot on stage.

The following week, I was forced to be an audience member due to my sister’s participation in the recital. Sitting criss-cross in the front row, I slowly regretted my refusal to perform as the show progressed. My eyes twinkled with desire. Maybe I did want to be on stage.

After much begging on my part, my mom signed me up for another round of dance classes the following year. This is where my love of the art began. I danced at my studio, Driven2Dance, for ten years. I grew up with a community of girls who shared a similar love of the sport. My whole world was dance, no other sport could compete.

 When I reached high school, I faced a critical decision. I could either remain on my studio team or try out for a dance team at South. Ultimately I decided to try out for Poms, and looking back, it is one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. Saying goodbye to my studio was difficult, but I never really left. My old coaches are some of my biggest role models and I still talk to them today.

I’m both a senior and a varsity captain now and I can’t believe our pom careers are ending in a few short months. Titan Poms is really something special. Because of the year-round seasons and four years I’ve spent, we have all grown close as a team. They are some of my best friends, and I know I can rely on any of them, even outside of the dance studio. 

These past four years have been memorable to say the least. My coach, Julie Smith, who we call Manning, cultivates a welcoming and challenging environment for every girl on the team. She balances being a constructive coach and one of my best friends at the same time. She reminds us to spread kindness, work hard, and never take life too seriously. I know I will carry forward the many lessons, deep traditions, and a great sense of pride that Titan Poms has instilled in me for many years to come.

Orchesis

At the start of my freshman year, I was eager to find my niche within the fine arts department. I was urged to join Orchesis, South’s student-led dance group, by my past teammate and graduated senior, Emily Sanariz. 

Although auditions are held to help place girls into dance groups representative of their ability levels, Orchesis is a no-cut dance team. This results in an incredibly creative opportunity for dancers at South, and creates a show that is heart-felt, authentic, and different every year. 

As a sophomore this year, I choreographed for the first time. It was a lyrical piece called “Love of my Life”. As a first-time choreographer, putting my own choreography on stage was challenging, but the culture of support and encouragement within Orchesis made the experience so constructive and enjoyable for me. Orchesis is not only an amazing introduction to leadership, but the team has introduced me to some of my closest friends. Especially during tech week, when we rehearse intensively leading up to our one  show, all of the members become very close, and you make friendships that you will keep for years to come. The bonds I made this year and last have been an unforgettable part of my high school experience. 

One of the best things about Orchesis is that it brings dancers of all styles and grade levels together. Because Orchesis’ show hosts all of South’s dance groups outside of just Orchesis, including De La Cru, Poms, Bhangra Beats, and Latino Heat, there is also a community of support between these groups. Even though we perform very different styles of dance, it is amazing how we all come together to put on such a well-loved show. 

Orchesis’ inclusive attitude toward dancers of all ability levels makes it a welcoming group that embodies our values as a school. 

All of the members are so supportive and passionate about dancing, which brings every member together while we grow and succeed not only as dancers, but as people. My freshman year, I was searching for a community within such a big school, and I found so much inclusivity and love within the community of Orchesis.