IB Dance class will be coming next year
something I’m really passionate about.”
The event began with check-in and color-coded T-shirts for participants based on grade level. After a group warm-up in the auditorium led by the 18-member high school team, younger dancers were split into classrooms where they learned choreography from their student instructors. The clinic culminated in a 3 p.m. showcase attended by family and friends, featuring the student-learned routines they spent the morning perfecting, as well as solos, duets and group numbers choreographed and performed by the high school dancers themselves.
The event also included a raffle with prizes such as Katy Perry concert tickets and a signed photo of Taylor Swift, adding excitement and helping raise funds for the club’s future initiatives.
“This is the very first year of our student-run Dance Club,” Jennifer Norton, a teacher at South Side and one of the club’s faculty advisors, said. “These incredible students have taken full ownership, choreographing, dancing, planning events, and then for the clinic, teaching dancers in grades four through eight a fun routine to perform in the culminating showcase.”
Advised by Norton and Christina Ferrara, another South Side teacher, the Dance Club has become a dynamic addition to the school’s extracurricular offerings. Students have performed at football and basketball games and met twice weekly to prepare for the spring showcase.
“It’s been an amazing inaugural year for the Dance Club,” Ferrara said. “They’ve performed at football and girls’ varsity basketball games and are constantly working to grow the club [by] adding new events, creating opportunities and setting their sights on one day competing.”
The club’s success has sparked district-wide change, and their dedication inspired the introduction of a new class starting next school year.
“Their dedication and passion have
even inspired the district to launch an IB Dance program, an esteemed course for juniors and seniors where students will move, create, and explore a rich variety of dance styles,” Ferrara said. “We hope a lot of high school students take advantage of this amazing course.”
The International Baccalaureate Diploma Program is a rigorous twoyear curriculum for juniors and seniors, with students taking courses across six academic groups. With the addition of IB Dance, South Side students have a wide array of over 20 IB class options to tailor their academic path to their strengths and interests.
“This will help bridge our extracurriculars with our class offerings and is a great opportunity for students who are interested in this area of study,” Patrick Walsh, South Side High principal, said.
