Breaking Boundaries: Boys Journeys in Redwood’s Dance Scene

In recent years, more boys at Redwood High School have been joining the dance program. Here’s what some of the male Dance Force and Advanced Dance members have to say about their experience and how to deal with fears that come along the journey.

By: Sophia Rexhepi

Dance is an art that allows students to express themselves. Dance is a great way to break out of your shell and bring in new opportunities.

However, for young male dancers it can be daunting to compete and perform at higher levels of dance. Fear of judgment from peers is always a confounding variable. Luckily, Redwood has had the amazing opportunity to be fortunate to have so many boys willing to compete and perform to the best of their abilities with confidence and pride.

Matthew Merten, ’26, dances competitively outside of school and is currently involved with Hip Hop and Advanced Dance at Redwood. Merten plans to continue dancing going into his junior year.

Having someone who inspires you to keep pursuing your dreams is crucial to staying motivated. Merten says, “It was my sister Carly. She was a competition dancer. I remember growing up just always seeing her on stage… I felt inspired by her.”

Merten has been dancing for quite some time. Merten says, “This is my first year back in dance. When I was 11-12 I was doing classes, and this year I started competition. I was initially dancing at Rave but now I dance at the studio called Momentum.”

There is always a smaller population of boys who try out for hard dance classes like advanced compared to girls. Merten says, “There’s not really many people who are interested in it as much… I also think if you haven’t had dance experience beforehand it’s hard to get into classes like advanced.”

Merten trains hard in order to be as good of a dancer as he is. Merten says, “I have ballet and contemporary on Mondays. Then on Wednesday I have ballet, jazz, and lyrical. I’m there till 9 after school.”

Facials and personality are key to being a successful dancer. Merten says, “Do a lot of facials. And practice a lot outside of school because it can be hard.”

Alfredo Esquivel, ’24, has been involved in Hip Hop for 2 years and Advanced Dance for 1 year. Esquivel says, “What inspired me to start dancing is I remember going to the rallies and seeing a lot of the dances performed by Hip Hop, International and Dance Force. I wanted to be down there and I wanted to dance. Just seeing it at school inspired me.”

Dance has always been a part of Esquivel’s life. Esquivel says, “I’ve been dancing for two years as of now, but I used to dance when I was little for a few years.”

For male dancers it can sometimes be challenging and intimidating to try out for tough dance classes like Advanced or Dance Force. Esquivel says, “I think a lot of male dancers don’t know that they can dance. I also think a lot of them are scared to just go out and try it because of what other people might say, but I say who cares. I think if you really want to try something , if you think it’s cool, you should do it no matter what.”

Dance teachers can play a crucial role in a student’s love for the art. Esquivel says, “Mrs. Lapp inspires me. She always is a positive and bright mentor when she’s teaching our class. She’s always given me really good advice ever since I started dancing.”

Matthew Bartolo, ’24, has been dancing for 3 years and is a member of Dance Force. He has also been involved in dance classes like Advanced and Hip Hop.

Male dancers can sometimes face certain stereotypes or judgment from peers. Bartolo says, “I believe there’s a lack of male dancers within our community due to the stigma that’s behind joining. In the past, boys might have faced name calling or felt seen as different. However, the following dance show and with the evolving attitudes of the new generation, I anticipate many more boys will join. I also believe that the International [class] influence has made joining the Redwood Dance program more enjoyable.”

Bartolo will continue his journey with dance outside of high school. Bartolo says, “I’m part of the Hollywood connection dance convention and competition Teen company. Our mentor Aaron Cuprienski inspires me greatly. His choreography is extraordinary and his dance style is unique and unmatched. We share similar backgrounds, which makes me believe that I one day could follow in his footsteps.”

Male students should feel encouraged when it comes to trying out for things like dance classes. Bartolo says, “I believe everyone should try out for the dance classes at Redwood. Auditioning and dancing can feel intimidating due to the fear of judgment. However, as someone who started dancing just two years ago, I’ve learned it’s best to let go of the stress. It’s always better to try than not try at all.”

Dance is a great way for students to relieve stress and allow them to build more confidence. Bartolo says, “My favorite aspect of dancing is the self expression it allows. I’ve always struggled to express myself, but finding dance has changed that. If I have a bad day, I can just turn on music and dance however I want, without any judgment.”

Having a support system is crucial for any art. Bartolo says, “I get my support system from my amazing friends and family. I can always find them cheering me on and showing me the utmost support.”

Michele Lapp has been a dance teacher here at Redwood for 24 years. She teaches Dance Force, Intro, Intermediate, Hip Hop and Advanced Dance. Lapp says, “I’ve been teaching dance here at Redwood for 24 years. I’ve been a teacher for 32 years. I also ran my own dance studio in Tulare. I sold it a long, long time ago. It was called Tulare Dance Works.”

Dance has been a great outlet for Lapp. Lapp says, “Dance was just a safe space for me where I felt I could express myself. It has just been a great outlet for me over the years.”

Trying out for dance teams and dance classes can be nerve wracking for everyone, no matter how confident the person. Lapp says “I think my advice would be just to go for it. Come to auditions. If they feel like that’s too much too soon they can start out in Intro for dance. There’s no audition required for that. Even though it’s Intro we still have different skill abilities in there. It will be a great experience for them. They can learn the curriculum and we get to know them. There’s a lot of directions they can go, Intermediate, Advanced Dance, [and] Dance Team.”

There has been an increasing number of boys joining Dance classes at Redwood. Lapp says, “It’s very exciting because in the beginning back in 2000 we didn’t have very many boys. We did have a few, but we did not have very many. That is why we started Hip Hop and a few years later International dance. We felt that we needed more classes which could draw in more boys. It’s really been successful.

Lapp says, “Our first boy on Dance Force was Ed Cuellar. He’s now dancing professionally. He just performed in Aladdin this past weekend and I was lucky enough to go watch him and see him after the show. Our next official boy was Matthew [Bartolo]. It’s been many years since we’ve had a boy on Dance Force so its a huge accomplishment for Matthew [Bartolo]. He didn’t dance his first couple years at Redwood. I think he was just unsure and nervous. I know that he said when he saw Dance Force perform an Aladdin dance we had Jayce Ford from International pop in to do a part, when he saw that dance it inspired him to try out and so he did. He did a year in advance and just worked so hard… just improved leaps and bounds and tried out again and made the team. I’m so so proud of him”

Lapp is very proud of her male students and how far they’ve come over the years. Lapp says, “AJ [Esquivel] and Matthew Merten, I don’t feel like they were too nervous. They just did it and went for everything that I asked. They both improved immensely as well. They both have had a lot of growth over the years. I know there’s big things in there future for both of them.”

At Redwood High School, an increasing number of boys are embracing the art of dance, finding it as a powerful way to express themselves and build confidence. The experiences of students like Merten, Esquivel, and Bartolo are proof that dance has a positive impact, despite initial fears and societal stereotypes. For any young male students considering joining the dance program at Redwood, remember: dance is for everyone. Don’t let fear hold you back. Take that initial leap and try out for dance classes.

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