From Thursday, April 24, to Saturday, April 26, Ayala’s Dance Programs held their Spring Dance Concert, “Throwback.” The dances were based on nostalgic retro songs, with choreographed names such as “Retro’26” and “When We Were Young.” This concert included every level and style of dance in Ayala’s program: beginning, intermediate, advanced, and Ayala Dance Production (ADP).
“Our theme throwback recognizes the art of dance with a bunch of performances using songs and certain dance moves from back in the day,” ADP performer and Good Vibes Committee member Maiah Torres (12) said.
What makes Ayala’s dance concerts so special, in particular, is the student choreography and management. From the theme to the combinations of dance moves, student directors and dance members manage everything, working tirelessly to put the program together.
“Our student directors are in charge of picking out themes, and they’ve brainstormed ever since the last season, or the end of last year,” Torres said. “And then they get ideas from our captains and our other leadership teams, too.”
From retro beats to sentimental slow songs, “Throwback” brought out feelings of nostalgia from the audience. The dances ranged from hip hop to contemporary and even included a cultural dance, “Beam of Light,” for various genres.
“I could see little bits of the theme here and there, and I think it was really well incorporated,” audience member Katelyn Chang (12) said. “I actually like when they don’t completely focus on the theme and there are other aspects so they did a very good job on that and I enjoyed it very much.”
Since it was the senior’s last dance event before they graduate, the dances brought out emotions from not only the audience, but even the dancers. Next year, instead of being on stage, they will be in the audience, cheering their underclassmen friends on.
“I just felt really sad because one of my junior friends told me at the end of the concert to come visit her next year,” Advanced Dance member Alicia Tse (12) said. “So it was just very sad because I’ve been in the program for three years, and now that I’m leaving it, it’s definitely really sentimental.”
Emotions ran high at the end of the concert when ADP seniors, Rylee Bowers, Melody Chang, Hannah Fitzgerald, Maiah Torres, and Joy Zhu danced together on stage one final time, to Adele’s well renowned song “Hometown.”
“[It felt] bittersweet,” Torres said. “I’m glad that it’s a new chapter for me but dance has been such an important part of my life since I was young, and performing my last number on stage with the other graduating seniors was the moment that made me realize that it was all coming to an end which got me very emotional.”
Not only was the finale an emotional moment for the dancers, but also for the audience members, as it served as a reminder how little time the seniors have left before graduation and starting anew. At the end of the concert, seniors were awarded with roses and chords, and all of them announced their plans for after graduation.
“They were all such great performers,” Chang said. “That last senior dance got me so emotional, watching my friends dance together, it made me cry.”
