The Student Dance Association is starting back up again, hoping for a better year than last year. Last year, SDA looked a little different than in years past. Due to COVID-19, changes had to be made. Students were required to wear masks, the captains had to make formations that allowed the participants to be six feet apart, and only two family members from each family were allowed to watch and cheer on their children. Hopefully, things will be a little different this year.

This year, the theme for SDA is Famous Figures: Fantasy or For Real. For the White team, the 2022 overall is Irene Lignos. For the Maroon team, this year’s overall is Sarina Ramirez. Both girls are incredibly talented dancers and are striving to make this season fun and the best one yet. There are four dances on each team: Tap, Jazz, Aero, and Pom.

So far, after wrapping up the first week of practices, both teams are looking amazing and are picking up the dances wonderfully. 

How SDA works is each pair of captains choreographs a six minute dance routine, creates the music, picks out the costumes, then teaches the group of students the choreography. The students have about two full months to learn, practice, and perfect what they were taught. This year’s show dates are March 3, 4, and 5. On Thursdays and Fridays, the show starts at seven o’clock, and for Saturday night the show starts at six o’clock.

The themes for each dance are what make the show. Having a theme that will make the audience and judges interested is key. On the White team, the themes are: Maleficent-Tap, Harley Quinn- Jazz, Star Wars-Aero, and Cruella de Vil-Pom. Maroon’s themes this year are: Billy Joel-Tap, Lady Gaga-Jazz, Britney Spears-Aero, and Madonna-Pom. Each dance has a theme of someone that is a famous figure in some way. This year’s captains are dedicated to teaching their participants and doing everything they can to make their dance look clean, sharp, and perfect. “I’m super excited to have a normal SDA season after last year being interrupted by COVID. The beginning of the season is always a little stressful learning new choreography but I cannot wait for things to fall in place and watch the dances come together. I have the best team in the world and I am so grateful for their hard work. SDA season is the best time of year and I cannot even come to terms with it being my last year. I’m so excited for the show! It’s going to be so much fun!!” said Senior and White overall, Irene Lignos, commented on her thoughts and feelings of SDA.

So far, the students have had to wear masks at all times and try to maintain distance during breaks. In the event of COVID becoming even more rampant, switching to virtual practices is the best way to continue to have the students learn the dance and not be behind for the show.

SDA is a great way for students to bond and form relationships with other people. Meeting new people and making new friends is what SDA is all about, and why so many people love partaking in this after school activity. At the end of the day, yes, this is a competition, but SDA is mainly about having fun. 

The captains and overalls aren’t the only ones making this show work, the officers and advisors are putting in time and energy to give everyone the show that they want. The advisors are Christina Kindler, Claudia Schalago, and Tamera Conforth. Everyone has a different role in putting this show together, but these officers are the ones helping the advisors out and doing all the behind the scene work. From designing the tickets, to collecting constitutions, to ordering stage props, writing the script, to making the boasters, the work is never ending. These groups of girls and advisors put their heart and soul into this show. The officers do whatever the advisors asks them to do. 

The Student Dance Association has been around for many many years and continues to be a major part of Wayne Hills. Good Luck to everyone apart of SDA and have fun!

The captains on the White team are:

Tap- Milena Taibl and Liz Grant

Jazz- Sydney Heltzer and Ava Pereira

Aero- Gianna Betts and Carly Collins 

Pom- Lexi Trachtenberg and Ava Yannuzzi

The Maroon captains are:

Tap- Ava Cahn and Eva Morante

Jazz- Jadyn Nisenson and Mia Kahrar

Aero- Melanie Galkin and Kelly Cappo

Pom- Eden Rivera and Kaitlyn Alexander

To list the officers, there are:

President- Leah Caruso

Vice President- Kate LoPresti

Secretary- Christin DeFranco

Treasurer- Samantha Hoff

Financial Secretary- Gabby Mollinero

Financial Secretary- Olivia Tagliaferri

Historian- Sydney Sexton

Assistant Historian- Bryn O’Rourke

Assistant Historian- Sophia Orjuela