Long Beach High School presented its fifth annual Spring Dance Recital on April 14, showcasing the talents, grace and creativity of students who took the stage. As in the past, the event featured choreography and dancing by students in the International Baccalaureate Dance Program, and this year the show was opened up to include performers from the modern dance classes as well.  

The IB Dance Program seniors developed choreography for the various dance numbers based on their own inspirations. Each piece told a story — some were based on the students’ own personal experiences, while others were based on their observations of the world.

The performances ranged from serious and dramatic in nature to funny and lighthearted. They portrayed an assortment of themes such as deep emotions, life challenges, memories, celebrations, geography and history. A variety of dance styles were presented, such as ballet, hip-hop and traditional cultural steps.

Choreographers were Veronica Bruce, Jessica Cerky, Rachel Cucina, Anna Falvey, Brittney Field, Alana Garcia, Sam Gesuale, Jailene Granados-Ramos, Angelica Green, Melinda Greenberg, Alicia Miningham, Amanda Moore, Stephanie Pavlides, Tracy Platt, Carmen Socorro, Angelica Soderberg, Amy Zheng and IB Dance Teacher Cristianne Vella. Dances choreographed by African dance ambassador Pearl Eileen Primus were also performed.  

The dance recital was a collaborative effort that involved a number of contributors from the high school who helped to make the evening a success. Art classes and the Fashion Club designed the costumes and set, and the Sound and Lighting Club provided a fitting stage ambiance for each piece.

“My intention was to allow the students to explore movement from all angles and to learn that dance is more than fancy tricks, it is about moving from within the body in space using various rhythms and patterns,” said Ms. Vella. “Students were encouraged to create movement that enhanced the musical rhythms, tempos and accents.”