2022 HEHS Dance Show: To dance is to Love

Merriam-Webster describes dance as an intransitive verb, “to move one’s body rhythmically usually to music; to move about in a quick and lively manner.” While dance is quite rigorous and often requires technique and choreography, the work challenging at times and intricate, dance is more than just its physical components- especially to the students of Hoffman Estates High School.

The 2022 HEHS Dance Show, performing Friday, January 28 and Saturday, January 29 at 7 p.m., is a quintessential formation of all the foundational aspects of dance- along with some fresh, new styles. What’s so special about expression through dance is the wide variety of music and the gripping diversity in its artists. Himani Patel, junior, has danced for 11 years, and is looking forward to all of the highlights the show will feature.

We “will be seeing Varsity Hip Hop, Orchesis, and Dance Club do many performances, plus many more solos and duets,” and that the specific music “range[s] from Hispanic/Latin to K-Pop and rap,” she said.

Dance is much more than a movement of the body. To dance is to emblazon those crucial facets of our much diverse society and its many members, especially at a school like HEHS, which, according to Niche’s 2022 School Ranking, is the 8th most diverse public high school in the United States.

“The Dance Show welcomes all types of dancing, so you can see [everything from] very hip hop groundwork styles to pop-cute styles to different traditional styles of dancing,” said Varsity Hip Hop (VHH) member Emmylina O’Brien, sophomore.

Although all of the pieces have come together to promise a successful show, there have been difficulties when trying produce a show during a pandemic. Still, everyone involved has worked hard to bring this show beyond a virtual stage.

“After last year’s virtual situation, it’s really nice to see everyone together again having fun up on stage,” said Sophomore Kaylin Prouza, an Orchesis member who has been dancing since the age of 3. 

Creativity is more than a skill that can be taught; it’s a foundational trait,” Prouza said. “[It is a] trait that lives within me and a trait that lives within you, just in many divergent forms. Creative writing, visual arts, music, drama, and dance can be used to help young adults not only survive in these turbulent times, but to thrive.”

And while Prouza certainly doesn’t consider herself perfect, she stresses that to her, “dance means community, togetherness, and just having a good time. It’s the best feeling ever when you are up on stage, performing for your friends and family after all the hard work you put into the routines.”

The entire concept of strength being built only through our failures and tough times rather than our successes is reinforced through our own Hawk community’s perseverance through the past year. Our creativity is flourishing and our dance teams are coming back from a virtual year with a bang like never before.

So, what does dance mean? Especially to those that practice, produce, and perform it? Senior VHH member Albina Isaeva defines it as a stress reliever, while O’Brien calls it a “different language,” and Sophomore Dance Club and VHH dancer Sarah Kuwahara emphasizes that to her… “dance means everything.”

While Patel agrees completely, what she really chooses to call attention to is that the essence of dance is truly “to improve and learn.” So the most special thing about dance is not in the footwork, the choreography, or the spotlights; it’s in our humanity. Of course, these students work hard for how talented and engaged they are with their art, but it’s important to highlight that dance is a reflection of our lives. That to dance is to love and to love is to be human without measure.

The 2022 Dance Show is performing in the HEHS Auditorium – January 28-29 at 7 p.m.. Tickets cost $4 at the door. Freshmen can attend for free with a Student ID.