Dancers lace up shoes for new program

Deanie+Cooper+%E2%80%9924%2C+Kianna+and+Addison+Hwang+%E2%80%9924%2C+Gabriela+Ramirez+%E2%80%9924%2C+Ceejae+deLumen+%E2%80%9924%2C+Miranda+Hernandez+%E2%80%9924%2C+Mirella+Brattesani+%E2%80%9924%2C+and+Nora+Maguire+%E2%80%9924+practice+bar+work+in+the+dance+class.

Stefania Pierucci

Deanie Cooper ’24, Kianna and Addison Hwang ’24, Gabriela Ramirez ’24, Ceejae deLumen ’24, Miranda Hernandez ’24, Mirella Brattesani ’24, and Nora Maguire ’24 practice bar work in the dance class.

Marisa Hamilton ’22, Religion Editor

Archbishop Riordan continues to make history in 2020, with the formation of a dance program. The school is now offering a dance class, club, and in the future, a more advanced squad.

Although the first classes could not start in-person, the 22 students have given positive feedback about the activities during distance learning, some of which include watching classic shows like The Nutcracker and Swan Lake, and researching the history of ballet.

Stefania Pierucci, Riordan’s new drama and dance director, is looking forward to returning to the idea stage, where the students can physically dance together.

After the first quarter, Pierucci said there was “more conditioning, stretching, warmups, and then barwork.”

The final had the students choreograph a group piece of 32 bars, which “can help them think outside of the box, and get creative,” she said.

In collaboration with Pierucci, is president and choreographer of dance club, Jocelyn Leon-Guererro ’21.

They plan to teach a blend of requested dance styles via Zoom on Tuesdays and Fridays.

While the school community adjusts to hybrid clubs, and on campus extracurriculars, the dancers will work together to create a showcase by the end of the school year.

Leon-Guererro concluded, “Our passion and dedication will definitely show when you see us dance.”