PPCHS’s Dancers and Signers Will Have You Spelling W-O-W!

Kara Warren and Iris Lee

   This year, we’ve all dedicated ourselves and our time towards a particular goal. This could be to boost your GPA, learn something new, or anything in between. Little did we know that PPCHS was jam packed with talented performers. Whether they’re graceful dancers, or fluent ASL speakers, students prepared themselves to show off their skills at the dance benefit and the ASL show this testing season. Not just to prove what they’ve accomplished this school year, but to offer us all a quick break from the stress that tends to build up around May.

   PPCHS’s annual dance benefit was held in the River of Grass Auditorium on April 26 this year! It highlighted dancers from the school’s team, those enrolled in the class, and even a few who went viral on social media for their moves! Jasmyn Daniels, enrolled in Dance 1, was so proud to perform with her fellow classmates on the last performance of the school year! The sophomore expressed her anticipation,  “It was so nerve-racking having to prepare our dances for this last show. Of course, it went great, because of our dedication to having the best show we could’ve had. And we wouldn’t have been able to carry it out without our fantastic teacher, Ms.Stacy!”

   For audience members however, they had clear favorites for who they felt performed their hearts out! Alyssa Kiliszek, a sophomore in the audience, claimed she attended the event to cheer on her friends, but the show went beyond her expectations! “Apart from my friend’s performance, my favorite has to be the dance team’s final dance. There was just so much energy and spirit in the air, you could really feel it all over the room. The choreography was just perfect too, which made it all so much more satisfying since they were all in sync.”

   The lights began to dim, and the River of Grass was filled with anticipation once more. On May 3, the ASL Show was held at the auditorium. Dozens of talented signers and performers flooded the stage, signing to hit songs such as “We Don’t Talk About Bruno ”, “Say My Name”, and “I Don’t Dance”. After rounds of ASL club members and students taking the stage, the curtains opened once more to senior Matthew Toussaint in a black costume signing to the “Tequila” parody. From flooding the stage with festive performances to filling the audience to the brim with laughter, the ASL show was undoubtedly a huge success. “Originally, we weren’t going to continue the ASL show due to testing. However, at the last minute, within the time span of two months, we were able to put everything together, which was a huge shock. I got no sleep trying to put everything together during the three days before the event,” says junior and ASL Secretary Anjali Balla.  It’s clear that the strenuous efforts of both ASL members and students paid off tremendously!

   From mastering American Sign Language to impressive dance moves, it’s undeniable that PPCHS is brimming with talent. Congratulations to PPCHS’s talented dancers and signers for such brilliant performances!