Dance Showcase displays amazing talent

The Diva Dancers and Blair's other performing groups presented their choreographed routines before a large and eager audience on Friday, May 21 at 7:00 p.m. in the auditorium. Friday marked the end of the Divas, as it was the last night that they would ever perform.

According to Diva junior Kelly Ferguson, the dancers will no longer be a group because Diva coach Kryss Lacavaro is leaving Blair. Also, because the group is comprised of mostly seniors, there would only be two members left to continue the Diva Dancers next school year.

The event was hosted by Lacavaro, who kept the audience informed of each act and amused the crowd with her many wardrobe changes. Lacavaro informed the audience that four other groups were supposed to perform in addition to those listed in the program, "but due to unforeseen circumstances," they were not able to appear.

The show began promptly with an opening act by the boys' Step Team, which consisted of juniors Josh Gilmore, KJ Bonhomme and Delonte Cordell. The boys presented a very rhythmic, organized and choreographed performance and got the show off to a good start.

The breakdancers, now known as the Urban Dance Movement, performed next. The group was able to execute their moves well with the help of senior Mai Tran, the only female in the group. The dancers' practice and dedication shone throughout their routine as each breakdancer contributed to the performance.

Senior Barbara R. was next to appear on stage, reciting two poems for the audience, the first of which was entitled "Sunset." In her second poem, "Mother and Daughter Reunion," Barbara told the audience that "now all I got are memories" and received a big round of applause and cheers as she ended with "I can't wait until I see you in heaven."

The Caribbean Club kicked off the first main half of the show and fulfilled the excited audience's expectations. The girls appeared on stage dressed very stylishly; eight girls in pairs each wore light pink, red, white and green shirts and black pants and caps. The girls' hard work and commitment was immediately apparent through their choreography and the impressive flexibility of their hips.

Next, in the Diva Introduction, Ferguson and two other members performed a skit against a red background and were followed up by the Diva seniors. The Divas did what they do best—entertained the audience with their extremely talented and organized choreographed dance moves. The seniors (along with Ferguson) made every move seem simple as they jammed to a variety of hip-hop and popular songs, such as "Uh-huh" by B2K. As the Divas left the stage, Lacavaro assured the roused crowd that they'd be back for their final performance.

Lacavaro and school librarian Susan Madden amused their audience with the surprise portion of the show, boogieing to a familiar, old-school selection. Sporting red "Montgomery Blair High School" tees, the two staff members executed rehearsed dance moves at which the audience laughed and applauded. Madden and Lacavaro showed great enthusiasm that the audience appreciated.

The Step Team came back for round two following the Freestylin' Teachers, but this time it was the girls who first excited the crowd. The girls—four of whom were in red tops, four others in white tops and the captain in all black—came out chanting "make them hands clap" in a resounding voice. As the girls continued with their routine, Stage Crew changed their backgrounds from white to red to green, which added to the upbeat and energetic mood of their performance. The steppers performed each move without faults, saying, "We break it down like this" while executing a step routine. The group ended with "this is not a game," and after a few steps, "And what?"

Stepping in after the girls left the stage were the male Steppers who returned to entertain the audience once more. Two Steppers kept up their routine while the third performed a routine with a different order of moves faultlessly. The boys maintained focus and composure throughout their routine and received cheers and ovations upon completion of their piece.

The Urban Dance Movement came back for their last performance of the evening. The breakdancers stood in a horizontal line against a red background and clapped and cheered along with the audience as each dancer skipped to the middle of the stage and showed off his skills. "Wows" and "oohs" resonated throughout their performance because the dancers never ceased to astonish the fans. The dancers performed to techno-like, fast-paced music that suited their segment and Tran once again received a lot of support.

The Diva Dancers returned for the final time in their careers. Lacavaro introduced their performance and informed the audience that the girls would reenact a scene from the movie "Chicago." The Divas' skit-like performance was very sensuous, as appropriate to the scene in the movie. As "He had it comin'" sounded on the speakers, each Diva assumed the role of one of the women in the play and using her own moves and personality, told the story of how her husband "only had himself to blame." Through the song, Divas told the audience that, "If you'd had been there, if you'd had seen it, you probably would have done the same." The performance ended much in the same manner that it started—with a "pop" as the lights faded on one girl and highlighted the next.