It is 2:45 on a Monday after school. Marissa Lawton and her friends loiter the school while the popular song Single ladies fills the air. A group of girls wearing leggings and tight tops have already begun warming up for their five hour and fifteen minute practice. This is Orchesis.
Varsity orchesis practice three days a week and Saturdays. While each school week practice is a couple of hours long. Saturday practices can be up to eight hours.
“We go over it, we video record and we make sure it sticks to us,” said junior Alejandra Diaz. “We just keep practicing it over and over again.”
JV orchesis will have one full dance in the show and will be featured in the opening and closing performances. JV is determined to not be underestimated by the audience.
“Just because we are in JV does not mean we are not as good,” said sophomore Bryanna Chapmin. “We have to prove ourselves even more.”
With only a few weeks left, the countdown begins and pressure is mounting. These long hours of practice are in preparation for their upcoming show, “Illusions.”
The show is supposed to be magical, entertaining, and different,” said sophomore Anthonia Moore. “Every dance will amaze you in a different way.”
“Illusions” being the dance group’s third show, is different from the past two. The show will feature fifteen different dances, ranging from Hip Hop to modern jazz. A different twist in this years show is the addition of an Indian and African dance. A special dance number will feature a solo by the dance instructor in charge of orchesis, *Parrin. The audience can expect to not only see dancing, but candid shots of orchesis and seniors in a slideshow.
The groups commitment has been higher than the previous years, since “Illusions” is orchesis next step in proving themselves as a serious athletic program.
“We have to stay up another hour and lose sleep,” said Diaz. “It is time consuming, but it is worth it at the end.”
Performance dates are February 10, 11, 12 in the PAC. “Illusions” begins at 7 p.m. and will go until 9 p.m. Tickets are five dollars if bought during lunch hours and seven dollars at the door.
“It all leads up to a final product,” said Parrin. “This product is definitely making a statement.”
-Yazmin Dominguez
Staff Writer