Diversity Day Highlights Unique Dancing Around the World
March 7, 2010 • written by Samantha Hartfiel
Cheers, music, and applause erupted from the Park High School auditorium on Wednesday March 3 as Park High School hosted Diversity Day. This special presentation, set up by Guidance Counselor Dr. Vo, was an opportunity for students to see a variety of different cultures through the art of dance. Various members of the student body were involved in the assembly including Park’s Step Team, Hip Hop Club, and the break dancing group, the Funky Munkys. There were also some guest performers including Mexican folk dancers and a play. Presented during first, second, and fourth hour, the performances were a unique display of the various cultures and traditions in Park High School.
The presentation began with Park’s Step Team, known as the Wolf Riders. This popular group, which is in its second year,
performed their African style dance techniques in which intricate percussive rhythms are created by using one’s body as an instrument. The Wolf Riders combined these rhythmic moves with hip-hop dance and their signature howl to impress the audience.
Next, Park High School’s Hip Hop Crew performed. Dressed in green t-shirts and black pants, the team, created last fall by senior Sandra Yang, danced to a montage of songs including energetic tunes such as “Tic Toc” and some slower ballads.
Several members of the Hip Hop crew stayed on stage after their number to display their break dancing moves .These five young men, who won last fall’s talent show, are the Funky Munkys, and have become a very well known group at Park High School. The men impressed the audience with their break dancing skills including several handstands and head spins in their
short routine.
Finally, the last of Park’s students displayed their dance moves. Seniors Chris Nimely, Peterson Pierre, and Nick Pieper did a tribute to the late Michael Jackson by free style dancing to Jackson’s song “Smooth Criminal”. The three men were dressed in suit coats and fedoras, matching the outfit that Jackson wore when performing this song for the musical movie Moonwalkers . The student’s performance featured some Jackson moves including the moonwalk and some unique moves such as back flips by Pierre.
To close the event, Park allowed the special guests, a group of Mexican folk dancers to take the stage. The group had prepared a special routine for the students that included dance styles, music, and clothing from three states of Mexico. The first state shown was Yucatan and two women came on stage wearing white floor length dresses with flowered embroidery and bright bows in their hair. The women danced a singular da
nce that featured feet tapping and twirling a bright colored scarf around in the air.
Next, a young boy and girl came out to represent the Mexican state of Chiapas. The two teens danced a partner dance, in which the girl and boy would dance across from one another, making eye contact but not touching. The girl wore a beautiful flowing dress and the boy looked distinguished in a white dress shirt and black pants.
Woman dancing in a Mexican ribbon dress
Finally, the last state featured was Jalisco. This area’s style of dance, known as ribbon dancing, is the most well known dance style in Mexico. The routine featured a woman wearing a purple pastel ribbon dress that she twirled to make an intriguing optical display.
Diversity Day offered the students to see some of the unique cultures in the world through various types of dancing. Students of all different races were featured in the show and all came together to bring entertainment and awareness to the student body.
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