From the footwork to the graceful arm movements, dance is a form of art filled with culture and creativity. It has been practiced for centu- ries and continues to evolve. Students at our school per- form various dance styles such as hip-hop, ballet, k-pop, tap, jazz, Indian classical, as well as much more. Dancing is an art form of creative expression through physical movement.
Derived from street dancing, Hip-hop is a creative dance style and most commonly per- formed with hip-hop music. This style of dance is usually a variety of freestyle movements to create a composition. Our students embrace this culture with enthusiasm. We have several hip-hop groups at our school such as the Milpitas Misfits and KDT.
Best known as a theatrical dance form, ballet originated around the 1500s in Italy. Bal- let uses movements to express a mood or tell a story, typically performed to classical music. The art of ballet was developed as court entertainment in the Italian Renaissance. Ballet has a specific type of footwear called pointe shoes. The flat, stiff fronts help ballerinas stay on their toes while dancing.
Many students at our school enjoy learning this classic art form. Students can learn bal- let in the elective dance classes that are taught at our school.
K-pop, a combination of hip- hop and jazz, is choreographed to Korean pop music; it started around 1980. K-pop also incorporates contemporary dance. It is conveyed through various fluent gestures and facial expressions. Korean Dance Team (KDT) is a student-led dance team at our school that per- forms at events such as rallies.
Tap dancing is performed using the tap of the shoes to create beats. It doesn’t necessarily have to be performed with music, but mainly is. Tap dancing teaches rhythmic skills and musicality. It has evolved throughout around 300 years, originating from an indigenous American dance genre. Stu- dents taking the dance elective learn and perform tap dancing.
Jazz dance is composed of European-influenced move- ments and African rhyth- mic footwork. Jazz was born around the early 20th century with the musical roots of Afri- can and European music. This is another style of dance that is available at our school through our dance elective.
Indian classical dancing has many different styles within itself. Milpitas Masti is a group at our school that performs a fusion dance of Bollywood and hip hop. They perform at sev- eral events at our school such as rallies and orientations. Other dance styles within In- dian classical include Bharat- natyam, Kuchipudi, Kathak, Odissi, Garba, and many more. All of these dance styles are focused on hand gestures and footwork. They represent different stories through the movements of arms and legs. Many creative and cultural stories have been told through the classical genre of dance.
Another popular form of dance at our school is cheer- leading. Cheerleading is a mix of dance and acrobatics. You can see our school’s cheer team energize the crowds and support sports teams at events such as football games, rallies, and many more after school events. Cheerleading will also be a competitive sport this year as well as performing during events.
Dance is a passion for plenty of students and adults. While they may not be doing the same style of dancing, it brings the community together at events to watch these graceful dances. Overall, dance unites us and creates unforgettable memories for all involved.