As LOTAs stepped into their first dance class, they were impressed by the beauty of the activity. For many Holy Cross students, their high school years are not complete without a dance class.
“As my first dance class, I was nervous at first, but later on, I came to realize that it is so much fun,” sophomore Lucia Foley stated.
Foley remarked that she had never taken dance before, and because she had the opportunity to take it as a gym class, she has found a new passion for dance. She is taking her first hip hop and jazz dance class at the Academy.
Sophomore Isabel Wong, an experienced dancer for many years, is taking her first dance class at Holy Cross as well. One of her favorites is hip hop and jazz.
“It reminded me of ballet, which I find very calming and entertaining,” Wong said.
Stretching is a crucial part of dance, which is required to detense the body before creating swift movements for the best and pain-free dancing.
“I do stretches that mostly target my hips and hamstrings,” Wong commented. “I like the hamstring stretches because it helps me relax where I usually get injured easily there.”
Foley explained that stretching is a very beneficial activity.
“Stretching is something I didn’t pay much attention to before dance. Now I do it all the time, ” Foley said. “It’s very calming because I get a second to think and be in a quiet headspace.”
Wong describes a day in her dance class that consists that of stretching for 10-15 minutes to warm up the body and then working on a dance.
“If we already know the dance, we will go over it a few times, but if it is a new dance, then Mrs. Donna will teach it, and we will go over it at the end of class,” Wong stated
Foley is excited for the dance concert, as it is her first time performing at a dance concert.
“Our dance is very fun, but I was a little intimidated by the speed at first, but now I love it. I love how upbeat it is and the pace,” Foley declared.
Donna Reese, the dance teacher, shared that she has been teaching for 50 years since she was 14 years old. Every day after school, Reese would teach and learn at her mother’s dance studio.
“Every time I teach a new class with a new batch of girls, when the students go on stage and accomplish what I taught them, understand it and perfect it,” Reese described. “That’s what I do. I’ve had millions of special moments, but that is so satisfying for me.”
As a teacher for 50 years, creating a welcoming environment for the students has become a goal that Reese accomplished.
“I started at her dance studio at the age of two and never stopped,” Reese said. “My mother was the one who taught me how to truly be an educator.”
Besides teaching the dance moves, Reese wants to build a cohesive spirit among the dancers.
“Everyone is on the same page, even the girls on my Adrenaline dance team, when they start to understand that we are a team,” Reese shared. “And we are a team that accomplishes something, which would be the dance or the class. My main goal is to get the girls up and moving across the floor.”
Reese explained that many girls are nervous to start and many do not know how to move their bodies, but she really hopes that the students understand that the environment they are in is judgment-free. She wants the girls to be there in the moment and have fun.
“For those who are taking a dance class for the very first time, they are very nervous and very reluctant to move their bodies. I can’t tell you how many times an athlete will come in here for the very first time and can’t even touch their toes, but by the end of the semester, their flexibility is tremendously improved,” Reese shared. “I believe that dance helps them on the field, court, or even at the stables. But in the end, they are very successful, and I am very proud of each and every one of them.”
