By Allyson Zamora
Redwood actors, singers, and dancers come together every year to put together the yearly musical. With Footloose being this year’s musical, it emphasizes dance majorly, making student dancers more excited than ever.
Redwood’s yearly musicals wouldn’t be possible without theatre director, Mrs. Galvan, and choreographer Adrienne Terry.
Terry has been Redwood’s musical choreographer for about 12 years now, and every year she creates something special.
With musical rehearsals and upcoming performances being back in-person and in theaters, it has positively changed Terry’s perspective on dance.
“It is something that is a creative outlet; it is therapeutic…it’s an art,” Terry says.
Through the pandemic’s halt on the performing arts, Terry admits, “The best part about dance is that it’s always there.”
The art form is not only a skill that Terry has mastered, but also a passion that creates entertaining choreography every year.
With months of rehearsals and preparations for Footloose, Terry goes through a creative process when creating choreography. To start, Terry explains, “I like to do some research… I will watch Broadway versions and other school versions.”
Terry then looks into the script focusing on the story and, “what this piece of music is supposed to bring…”
Creating choreography based on the plot-line of the show is important to Terry, “because every single musical piece in the show has a purpose; it’s to progress the story-line”.
Including the musical and emotional parts of the show in the dance aspect, leads to successful and entertaining choreography.
Terry’s vision for Footloose highlights the 80’s era including popular styles of dance during that time. The “Rock” and “Pop” style that the 80’s era brings inspires Terry to, “embody that feeling with the movement of the dancers.” Dancers can look forward to embracing the 80’s style of dance movement.
“People can feel what our message is in all different types of artistic language.”
Adrienne Terry, choreographer
With Terry’s excitement for the upcoming musical, student dancers can’t help but feel ecstatic. Isabel Ledesma, ’22 has been dancing with Redwood for four years, and admits that, “the choreography is all up beat and exciting.” She adds, “by far, my favorite musical choreography,” in regards to Footloose.
The student dancers with their talent, work hard at rehearsal to put together the perfect show, and Ledesma is looking forward to, “loading into the theater… it is an amazing feeling to be able to see all of our hard work on stage finally in action,” she says.
Not only is Ledesma’s passion for dance memorable, but the artistic students involved. She says, “I love spending all that time with my cast members and create many great memories backstage.”
Student dancer Cheyenne Lopez, ’22, also believes that the choreography for Footloose is amazing and, “it is so much fun and brings out so much energy from the cast.”
Being a part of the musical, Lopez shares her favorite part about the dance aspect, “I get to learn new movements and I get to expand my skills from cheerleading,” as she is captain of the varsity cheer squad.
Redwood students come together every year to showcase their talents onstage in the L.J. Williams Theater with new and entertaining choreography. Look forward to seeing Footloose being performed on February 17, 18 and 19 of 2022.
Allyson Zamora
Allyson ('22) is a senior and this is her third year writing with the Gigantea. Writing has always been a strong passion for her, and she enjoys writing and editing for arts and entertainment. Outside of the Gigantea, she is involved in hip hop dance, and enjoys performing in Redwood’s plays and musicals. She looks forward to a career in law. You can reach her by email at allys.za8185@vusd.us
Tags: arts and entertainment, drama, redwood gigantea, redwood high school, redwood journalism, redwood rangers
