An inside look at Matthew Merten, nominated by Redwood’s Dance Force, earning his place among Ranger’s Week top ten nominees exploring his role and what it means to him.
By: Ariana Lopez Salguero
Matthew Merten, a nominee for the Top 10 Ranger Mr. and Mrs. Ranger competition, is another nominee who represents Dance Force.
Dance Force here at Redwood is known for its energetic performances and competitive spirit, participating in multiple shows and competitions throughout the year.
Merten’s journey in dance began his freshman year of high school, but his inspiration came even earlier from his sister, who “inspired [him] for everything dance related.”
Photo courtesy Merten
Watching her helped spark Merten’s interest and passion for dance.
Within Dance Force, Merten serves as the historian, bringing together visuals and moments from the season.
In this role, Merten says “I do videos, and in the dance show, I have to do the hype video for this year. So basically I compile pictures and everything together.”
When Merton found out he had made it into the Top 10 nominees, he described the moment as exciting and unexpected.
“I was waking up, I was in Anaheim, and my friend Jocelyn texted me. And she was like ‘we made it’, and I was like oh my gosh.”
Looking ahead, Merten is most excited about performing this Friday, where he and his friend Jocelyn are preparing a special dance performance together.
When asked why people should vote for him, Merten kept it simple, “They just should.”
Ariana Lopez
Ariana Lopez Salguero, '27, a sports editor and writer, is passionate about diving deep into meaningful stories as a way to spark awareness among the Redwood community whether its covering serious issues or spotlighting individual voices, its about telling stories that matter.
Tags: clubs, clubs & lifestyles, dance force, feature story, mr. and mrs. ranger week, rangers, Redwood, redwood gigantea, redwood high school, redwood journalism, redwood rangers, rhs, visalia ca
