The Valley Chronicle - Mustangs stage an evening of danceng

West Valley High School’s dance classes hold spring concert in Stacey Bailey Theater

[caption id="attachment_10990" align="aligncenter" width="576"] Photo by Corey Evan/The Valley Chronicle
These Students’ moves are fresh like the Fresh Prince of Bel Air! [/caption] ■ By Corey Evan / Reporter Throughout our existence, dance has served to reflect the times and bring communities and lovers together. It has also served to entertain audiences around the world. On Friday and Saturday, May 11 and 12, it served as a means of showing the community what West Valley High School’s beginning, intermediate and advanced dance classes learned together. According to Dance and Theatre director, Cheri Kehler, her students are to thank for all the work. “This concert’s a culmination of all the works we’ve put together this semester,” said Kehler. “My students have worked on and learned choreography from me and worked extremely hard on their technique and their performance skills and really dove deep into their hearts to try to find some creative ideas. So this performance is the demonstration of everything they worked so hard for.” [caption id="attachment_10993" align="alignright" width="300"] Photos by Corey Evan/The Valley Chronicle
Gatsby sure knows how to party.[/caption] Together, these classes put together over 40 musical numbers highlighting the best moves of the 20th and 21st centuries. Whether it was capturing the essence of Gatsby’s era, paying homage to Jurassic Park, embracing their inner Disney child, retelling West Side Story, or dealing with a Joker, these students’ moves proved that they are “better when they’re dancing.” After the show, audiences were sure to feel it still. The show also served to introduce West Valley’s new Dance Team captains for the 2019 school year, Alexis Mendivil and Madeline DeLara. On behalf of The Valley Chronicle, congratulations! Kehler says 100 percent of the funding that made it possible was raised by the students themselves, and the proceeds benefited the department not only in putting together these kinds of shows but also in the form of scholarships for students. Kehler thanks this year’s dance captains, seniors Nadia Estrella and Sergio Camacho, for being instrumental in bringing the show together, but notes that otherwise there were so many who helped along the way that they could not all be mentioned here. But you know who you are! Kehler also notes that both Estrella and Camacho have both received scholarships from West Valley and are both moving on to dance programs in college once they graduate high school next week. DVD copies of this dance concert are available for $10, and may be purchased at West Valley High School. For information on how to get your copy, please call 951-765-1600. [caption id="attachment_10992" align="aligncenter" width="576"] Is that a dinosaur on stage?[/caption]