Aliso Niguel High School has reintroduced an all-male Dance Appreciation division for the first time in 11 years, bringing a new surge of energy to the program. This year’s squad contains six new members and one returning member from three years ago.
The unexpected spark of interest in males for the team occurred after the program’s end-of-the-year showcase, in which the students were able to see all-male divisions for other schools perform. They were immediately impressed with the creativity and confidence in the routines and were encouraged to join. Once the coaches heard word of the new attraction to the team, they decided to create the team.
Nick Perez, Lieutenant of All Males, admitted he was “very surprised by all the new people, but glad that we were able to bring back the DA all-male after so long… practices have been very fun and we’re all pretty hyped to show everyone what we’ve worked on this year.” He encouraged everyone to attend their shows, hinting at big things to come.
So far, the team has had an overwhelming amount of positive feedback from all the Wolverines and staff, including the coaches. They especially felt this support after the pep rally, where loud cheering and applause could be heard when the squad was introduced. The members have expressed the importance of a strong environment created by the students, as morale boosts are crucial for both returners and beginners. It makes their work feel worthwhile and pushes them to try their hardest.
Due to the change, the coaches have begun to incorporate moves that slightly contrast the girls. While they are not majorly different, the male team focuses more on masculine choreography, which was not as prominent before. Still, all of the members are sure to express that despite the differences in the gender teams, they are still united by their love for dance and their desire to show school spirit.
The members of the team are all very excited to show off their new skills and what they have learned so far. The group is sure to keep a positive attitude towards their learning; instead of stressing perfection and being afraid of making mistakes, they keep in mind that mistakes are normal and part of what helps you grow. What is really important to them is having a good outlook on things and being able to recognize that they are drastically improving.
All of the girls’ divisions were especially enthusiastic about the new members, as they introduced new experiences and perspectives to the team. Iva Khomenko, member of Dance Appreciation’s large and medium divisions, says, “We’re all impressed by all the new guys, they’re already learning so quickly, and their performance so far has been really good. It’s been nice to add some variety to the team that was primarily girls before, and it’s helpful to see the difference in how people do things to improve in general.”
DA’s slogan, “Stay humble, stay hungry,” shows that they want to not only stay eager to improve and be the best at what they do, but also keep themselves in check and make sure that they recognize flaws and rise above vanity. We can see that the coaches are raising a team of strong, committed, and passionate individuals who are sure to succeed in whatever they do.
