Taking a trip to the past, the present, and the future is not what it sounds like for dancers from RUSH, advanced, intermediate, and beginning all performed on stage for the Fall Dance Concert.

On November 22 and 23, dancers performed multiple pieces that they had been planning, choreographing, and practicing for many hours, both in class and after school.

“For the concert, we started a while ago. I’d probably say RUSH started their choreography around September, and then the next month is when all the classes started.” Shanece McCoy, a student choreographer, said.

The dance instructor thought that both night had done really well, even considering the tech issues, with the lighting, on Friday night.

“I think they did awesome. Especially considering some of the circumstances for the first night. What happened the first night was all of the lights got wiped. So, Aaliyah Esquivel was running the lights. She did an amazing job.” Andrea Downing, the Combs High’s Dance Instructor, said. “The dancers worked it beautifully and so did all of the techs. So I think that’s fantastic. The dancers themselves performed well. I’m super proud.”

Despite the challenges and disagreements they faced preparing, every dancer worked together and overcame their problems.

“Dancers get tense and they disagree with each other. And so it just becomes like, to me, it’s like a family when you have a dance group. And so it’s like fighting with your sister.” Downing said. “And the dancers, while they don’t always agree on stuff, are really good at talking through their issues.”

The whole purpose of the entire concert was to showcase the dancers’ skills throughout the first semester of the year.

“I feel like the dancers are my own kids. I celebrate in their accomplishment. I try to make them the best humans they can be.” Downing said.

Though, challenges arose within the improv team and their performance for the concert.

“I think the improv piece was pretty challenging, and it was challenging for the dancers too. They don’t do a lot of improv, or they do little snippets of it. And this was asking a lot of them to do.” Downing said. But with the time they had, the dancers aced the dance. “I saw a lot of really interesting and creative movements come out of dancers that I think maybe wouldn’t have found otherwise. The growth that I’ve seen in those dancers is awesome. So it was a challenge all the way around, but I am glad that we did it for sure.”

With all the songs and dances, there was no personal best for Downing.

“I think they all were amazing. I loved the hip hop because it’s just fun and an audience entertaining. I loved any piece that the dancers got to show their own personality in, be it sassy or they’re only improv or, you know, whatever that is. I just think each piece has its own awesome amazing!” Andrea said.