To some, dance is art. It’s symbolism through movement and it’s powerful. To others, dance is an emotional release. It’s a lifestyle and a saving grace. To a majority of people, dance equates to partying and having some silly fun. At Carolina Forest High School, dance is a class! Whether or not your perspective on dancing is portrayed through those lenses, if you enjoy dancing, the class is offered to all!
Dance 1 is offered as a physical education credit, which means students can take it instead of a traditional PE course. Even if students don’t need the credit to graduate, the option is provided if you harbor a love for dancing. Dance 2 is a more advanced class that can be taken if you have the prerequisite of Dance 1 or PE 1.
Dance 1 is one semester. Its center of focus is split into two quarters: one quarter is fully committed to dance, and the other half is mostly dedicated to sports play meant to increase physical health.
Jennifer Corvino has been the dance instructor for the past three years. She took dance for ten years at Mary Lou Hales School of Dance in New Jersey.
“My favorite thing about teaching is seeing them all get so excited about their dancing,” Corvino expresses. “I also love witnessing from start to end the development of their skills in the sports we play like softball.”
Corvino also helps coach the dance team of Carolina Forest, which girls from the class often join to delve deeper into their love for dance. The Pantherettes practice after school and have two seasons: football and basketball.
Sophomore Sierra Wilson notes, “The class gave me the confidence to join the team. I love making relationships with everyone in the group.”
The class centers around hip hop and line dancing, while the dance team performs pom and hip hop. The specialization in pom for the dance team is so that they can perform at football and basketball games. Corvino invites dance specialists to work with the high schoolers as well.
Anyone who wishes to join the dance team does not have to have the class as a prerequisite.
Tryouts for the Carolina Forest Dance team are from December 4 to December 6 after school, from three thirty to five thirty.
It’s time to dance, dance, baby!!!!
