On May 16, a dance show created and organized by seniors Victoria Thompson and Thea Boumakis took place at Francis Lewis High School. The event was designed to showcase students’ passion for dance and give them a space to express themselves.
“My main goal was just to have one last dance show, mainly for the seniors,” Thompson said. “So we could all dance with our friends before we leave, and have a recital that people actually want to go to and are interested in.”
Both seniors felt a dance recital was needed, and Thompson said the turnout exceeded her expectations. “I didn’t think as many people would go,” Thompson said.
“I thought there wouldn’t be as many dancers or audience members, but the day of the show, it was packed. The auditorium was almost full.”
Thompson and Boumakis were not the only ones who felt this way. Presidents and members of the Hip Hop and R&B, K-Pop, and Jazz Pop clubs contributed to the event, along with deans who served as supervisors.
“My goal was for the show to have a great turnout and for all of our wonderful dancers to perform an engaging show for the audience,” said Ms. Rothernburg, the coordinator for the dance show. “Shows like this are important to Francis Lewis because they help build school community and spirit while giving talented students a chance to shine.”
Brianna Ramirez, a dancer who performed in the show, said the experience was meaningful and emotional for her.
“It felt amazing,” Ramirez said. “I brought my family to my performance and saw my boyfriend cheering, which made me feel really happy and excited to continue next year. It made me think about how time has passed and how I might be remembered by the people I care about most in school.”
Despite the success of the show, staff and students faced several challenges, including scheduling conflicts, student absences, paperwork, and weather-related issues.
“We were unable to practice with our planned lighting or sound,” Ms. Rothernburg said. “We told ourselves we would still make it work. Our mantra was ‘the show must go on,’ and we practiced using a small speaker instead. As the show got closer, we weren’t even sure we would be cleared to perform on our scheduled night, but luckily, nature was on our side.”
After overcoming multiple obstacles, the dance show successfully went on as planned. Many hope the event will return next year and continue to grow.
“They told me they want me to come back, and I definitely will,” Thompson said. “I’m just proud that I got to be part of something that will continue even after I graduate.”
