Woodside Dance Team Ready to Steal the Show

The Cheer Team and Dance Team perform together in a lunch time rally in the Quad at Woodside High School in September 2011.

Video Credit: Caitlin Bohaboy

Photo Credit: Caitlin Bohaboy

The Cheer Team and Dance Team shuffle in unison at a lunch time rally in the Quad at Woodside High School in September 2011.

Caitlin Bohaboy, Staff Writer
October 11, 2011
Filed under Student Life

From pirouettes to handsprings to shuffling like the electro-hop duo LMFAO, the Woodside High School Dance Team seems to be giving it their all this year. With hard work and goals in mind, there’s nothing this team won’t be able to accomplish this school year.From what we’ve already seen at the football rally on September 16th and at all the football games so far, it seems like the dancers always have some amazing new dance moves up their sleeves. It’s getting every move right, all while going to the beat of the music and staying in sync with each other that really makes them stand out. Ayla Lebovitz, a freshman on the dance team, said “The coach has us work on mostly jazz, and a lot of hip hop in our routines.”

The coach, Kim Harvath, is one of the biggest influences on the team. She has been a dancer herself for about 16 years and teaching for 10. “I started out as a figure skater, and because of my figure skating they required me to dance, and I became so heavily into dance that I ended up quitting figure skating to dance full time,” said Harvath.  As a professional dancer, Kim has been doing economic performances for the past 8 years for groups such as Genentech, Google, the American Cancer Society, and many others. She has also done some back up dancing and has preformed in shows in San Francisco and Las Vegas. In addition, she choreographs Woodside’s spring musical.

Harvath is very proud of the dance team and all they have accomplished so far. After snagging a first place win from last year’s Bay Area High School Dance-Off, the team is ready for anything this year. “We never automatically expect our dances to look great, we have to put in the time and effort,” said sophomore Rachel Blanton. “We’re not looking to get first, we’re looking for self improvement, winning is just a plus.”

When they’re not getting down to business competing against other schools, working on their countless routines, or using sideline pom work at football games, the dance team is always having fun together. “We’re like one big happy family,” says Bella Mallow, junior and co-captain on the team, “We laugh a lot and practice is always fun.”  A team that gets along better always works well together and that makes all the difference.

This coming 2011-2012 year prepare to be excited for what the dance team will have! From what you may have already seen the Woodside dance team is already astounding everyone. And with stepping it up another notch further this year should make for some great performances!

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Comments

One Response to “Woodside Dance Team Ready to Steal the Show”

  1. Tirragen on October 16th, 2011 12:44 pm

    A really good look into the Woodside dance team, especially for the people who aren’t normally involved or tuned in (*cough cough* — that would be me). It also serves to make our school culture available to others. Hurrah!