On April 30th, May 1st, and 2nd at 7 p.m. Redwood High School’s Dance program will be putting on their annual dance show. This year they will be taking the audience through the classic musical decades of the 1900’s to 2000’s, and even into the future.
By Greer Olson
The dance classes/groups participating are the intro to dance, Intermediate dance, International dance, Advanced dance, Hip Hop, Ballet Folklórico, and Dance Force along with solos and other small groups formed by students.
The show first starts in the 1920’s, with international dance coming out in glittery flapper style dresses and distinguished suits. The dance features classic tunes in the 1920’s decade, but still kept a more modern dance style that was fun to watch.
We then get transferred into the 1950’s with the intro dance class in the cutest poodle skirts. The dance featured distinct dance moves used by performers in the 50’s and all the elements went well together making it really feel like you were in the time era.
And of course you can’t forget the 80’s and 90’s, starting with disco and songs like ‘I Will Survive’ by Gloria Gaynor. This is the first dance that features props and it really ties in the theme of being at a disco. Despite the plethora of members in the intermediate dance group, the stage never looked crowded and all dancers were in sync.
Dance Force comes on to display the 90’s with their liquid-smooth dances. Their performance celebrates their competition season, along with advanced dance representing the boy band craze of the 90’s. The change in styles with tap is a fun switch, and sounded absolutely amazing with the tap mics close and clear. The dances also included a Britney Spears feature which began the transition into pop culture and more digital themes.
Along with the transition into the 2000’s, Hip Hop also made their appearance displaying a different style of dance, but still keeping the performance energetic. All the moving part within the dance routine, with people coming in and out of the dance, keeps the audience engaged for the rest of the show. Intermediate also pushes the audience into more modern times with a TikTok style completion of dances that highlight more street style, even expanding farther into the future with costumes that reflect technological advancements, and lighting/backgrounds that explores very futuristic themes.
To break away from the classes, there were also many solos and small groups that preformed more lyrical and contemporary style dances. Despite the many that preformed, two that particularly stuck out were Mathew Merter and Jocelyn Gormley’s of ‘Iris’ by the Goo Goo Dolls, and Quinn Luther, Mia Pasquale, Mia Renteria, and Kaydence Rodriguez’s performance of ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ by Queen. The complex moves both complimented the music and showed the story the songs told while also being themed with the decades which the songs were made in.
To support the Redwood Dance program, buy tickets now!
Greer Olson
Greer Olson, '27, is in her fourth year of journalism and an editor for the Student Life section. She enjoys writing about Redwood culture and its diverse population.
Tags: Redwood, redwood gigantea, redwood high school, redwood journalism
