Members of the RHS dance program lit up the high school auditorium stage with their 16^th annual Dance Showcase, on Thursday, May 30 and Friday, May 31. The showcase included dances from numerous genres like jazz, hip hop and contemporary.

The evening kicked off with a film by senior advanced dance student Kaitlyn Dicataldo, which featured highlights of the dance program and its associated Dance Outreach club.

The first dance performance, choregraphed by Salette Jubin and Shelsyn Vasquez, was an upbeat student piece that set the tone for an exhilarating evening ahead.

“Damaged,” choreographed by RHS alumna Kiara Williams and performed by the advanced and intermediate dancers, was the biggest piece of the show, seamlessly integrating dancers from both levels of classes.

“Hometown Glory,” choreographed and performed by Option II student Olivia Bua, was one of the night’s two solos. Bua wowed the audience with her flexibility and diverse skills.

“Praying,” choreographed by dance teacher Michele Adriano and performed by the Period 1 intermediate dancers, was a contemporary piece that seemed to resonate with the audience on an emotional level.

“Crazy in Love” was a crowd favorite and the biggest student choregraphed piece, performed by Nia Nur, Jadhe Samanez, Rayna Emdur, Allison Ferry, Ameerah Taylor and Jayla Rose. “I watched ‘Crazy in Love’ grow from a short duet phrase that was part of a flipped classroom project into a longer mid-term choreo project, which was then transformed into a full group piece,” Adriano said.

“The Walking Dead,” performed by the Period 9 intro class, was an upbeat, character-driven hip hop piece. The students did a great job of incorporating acting into their performance, earning some well-deserved applause.

“Having a piece in the show that Brett and I choreographed felt amazing,” said sophomore advanced dance student Sami Schachter, who performed and choregraphed the student duo “Rome” alongside classmate Brett Shuster. “Not only did I get to show my creativity, but I also got to experience it with one of my best friends, and I wouldn’t change it for the world.”

Lily and Rose Jens have been dancing together since they were little and performed their last duo at RHS, called “You’ve Got a Friend.” Accompanied by a slideshow of  them growing up as twins, the performance brought an unexpected twist, as their dance concluded with NSYNC’s “Bye Bye Bye,” leaving the audience in awe.

“Chicago” was one of the best-known pieces in the show. “It was inspired by the famous Broadway show, which I’ve probably seen five times.” Adriano explained of her choice. “It was simply my own rendition of it. I chose songs that stuck out to me and created something that celebrates the excitement of the storyline and signature movement styles of the famous choreographer, Bob Fosse. I love mixing music, and it was very fun to create and teach.”

The well-anticipated “Finale” dance featured sections from each dance level. Closing the show, the students in the program came together to dance to “The Anthem” by Pitbull.

The Friday night show concluded with class and senior awards. “Winning the award for my class made me feel extremely honored because I felt the work I have been putting in all year paid off,” advanced class award recipient Adena Saltus stated.

Dancers unanimously expressed that they’ll miss the graduating seniors when they begin working on next year’s program. “As a senior this being my last show was bittersweet,” graduating intermediate dance student Cecilia Majdor said. “I loved getting to dance with my friends for the last time, and I am so grateful for all the memories and friendships I have made in this program.”

“I was really proud to see everyone’s year of hard work come together at the showcase, and I think everyone did a fabulous job,” DiCataldo added.