NPHS dancers express themselves through solos
As the NPHS Dance Team continues to travel around California for their competitions, their last local event was hosted at NPHS on Feb. 1. Every dancer performed their own solo, each dedicated to the retelling of their personal story. While the dance team competes in many different categories, most of their dances are typically with a larger group, so solos are a way for them to play to their strengths and personality.
For all dancers, competition days can be especially long, starting at around 6 a.m. and ending at 9 p.m.. While these days may be exhausting and tiring, Destiny Nash, junior, feels that all of the work creates a sense of discipline and accomplishment. “It takes a lot of dedication and perseverance to be on dance team,” Nash said. Nash’s solo song was “The Other Side” by Ruelle. “This solo means a lot to me because my cousin, who was on dance team with me my freshman year, choreographed it. It was a really fun experience getting to dance with her again when learning my solo, so it means a lot to be able to perform it,” Nash said.
Younger members of the NPHS Dance Team are just beginning their journey. Saige Scott, freshman, has already set her sights on what she hopes to accomplish over the next three years. “I want to continue to improve and work on equality in all styles, as well as build stronger bonds with my teammates,” Scott said. Scott’s solo, “How it All Works Out” by Faouzia, focuses on using positive energy more than negative energy, in order to increase one’s self-confidence. “This song means to live in the moment and not worry about negative outcomes,” Scott said.
Working with her choreographer, Erik Sosa, since she was eight-years-old, Scott was taught to incorporate “loudness” and “passion” into her solo. By choosing her song, she was able to bring out different emotions into her dance, which came out to be more angry and sad than the group dances in which she participates. “[Sosa] knows what moves make me look best and how to show off my strengths. [Sosa] always pushes me to be my best and is always there for me,” Scott said.
For some dancers experiencing their last year of high school, they have had to work hard and maintain discipline throughout their time on the team. Natalie Bowen, senior, has learned a lot from her two years on the team. One goal Bowen has set, which is inspired by her solo song, “If I Be Wrong” by Wolf Larsen, is to be more confident in her own abilities. “[The song is about] always doubting yourself and questioning what you’re doing, because you don’t have confidence. That’s something I need to work on is my confidence,” Bowen said.
Bowen has been dancing ever since she was five, motivated by her parents’ love for TV shows involving dancing, such as “So You Think You Can Dance.” In high school, Bowen decided to join the NPHS dance team because of its unique style. “I wanted to join dance team because it is very different from studio dancing. You get to do poms, which is kind of like cheer. You [also] do turns,” Bowen said. Following high school, Bowen hopes to pursue her dance career through being part of the commercial dance program at Pace University, and eventually go on to Broadway.
Furthered by their unique picks for solo songs, the NPHS dancers continue to work on their goals and stay disciplined in order to crush their competition season in 2025. “It takes up so much of your time, effort and focus but it’s definitely worth it,” Nash said.
