A mix of traditional Indian music, rap, Spanish pop, hip-hop, and lyrical pieces filled South’s auditorium. With dancers from all grades and all backgrounds, South students came together for this year’s Orchesis Dance Show, Vibrance.

Dancers from Bhangra Beatz, De Le Cru, Latino Heat, Titan Poms, and the hard work and long practices, paid off Dec. 1 as dancers performed for family, friends, staff, and those who appreciate dance, sophomore De la Cru and Bhangra Beatz member Alona Mathew said. Mathew enjoys the positive, encouraging atmosphere the dance show provides.

“It [is] such a good community because we are all supportive of each other and we [are] all hyping each other up,” Mathew said.

The dance show, a staple on each of the groups’ calendars, is a way for students to share what they have created. The majority of the dances are student choreographed, and the costumes and music are student chosen, senior Gianna Barash, Orchesis co-captain explained.

“The teachers are just there because they have to be, but we cut and choose our music and costumes,” Barash said. “We do everything ourselves. It [is] so impressive how it turns out so well every year.”

Along with support and determination, a key aspect in creating an interesting dance show is cooperation, Riaz Gillani, Latino Heat Sponsor said. The show is a way for South students to join together and create something transcendent, Gillani said.

“It takes collaboration, [communication, being able to] lead, and to take and give feedback appropriately and productively [to] to make something bigger than yourself,” Gillani said.

When planning and creating choreography for their performance, the captains and members must take into account the different levels of their dancers, Barash said. The goal is to have dances where everyone feels comfortable and content with their skill level and to facilitate a great performance.

“We make it [so that] everyone is exactly where they should be level-wise, [so that they feel] comfortable and happy where they are so they know that they could perform as best they can,” Barash said.

Since the teams do not compete, the members experience may range from dancing their entire life to never having danced before, Gillani explained.

“That’s the coolest part, is that the trajectory of the team changes with the people that are in it,” Gillani said. “There’s no way to quantify [which team is better or worse] because [they’re] not competing.”

The theme for this year’s show, Vibrance, was created by the Orchesis dance team members, Barash explained

“We knew that because of Barbie, we wanted it to be pink,” Barash said. “We had a lot of ideas. But, Vibrance, once we said it, we knew that [would] be it.”