Southland College Prep Dance Program Garners State Recognition

An original choreographic piece created by dancers in Southland College Prep Charter High School’s Dance Program was selected by the Illinois High School Dance Festival (IHSDF) to appear in the Illinois High School Dance State Showcase in Barrington, Illinois. Out of 43 dances, Southland was one of 14 schools that performed for the prestigious showcase on April 5.

The dance selected, “All For Us,” is a contemporary dance, choreographed by students Sofia Sciacca and Deborah Kpogo, with collaborative efforts from the entire cast of dancers: LeiLani Barnes, Keylen Chatman, Aniyah Henderson, Diamond Lee, Binah McClerklin, Al Rainer, Jacob Southall, and Zoe Taylor. The dance was inspired by the dancers’ own personal experiences, which “is about showing unity and mutual support for one another while coping with social and emotional challenges,” according to Gloria L. Chatman, coordinator of dance at Southland. Ricky Davis, a professional dancer, is associate dance instructor.

Chatman noted that IHSDF sponsors an annual dance workshop in October, where dance students from all over Illinois participate in a variety of dance workshop classes throughout the day, taught by professional dance instructors. In late February, IHSDF received the last of the online video submissions from the various Student Choreography Showcase candidates, where dance students audition their original student choreographed work for selection to appear in the annual Choreographers Showcase.

In March 2023, Southland’s dancers participated in the National High School Dance Festival in Pittsburgh to audition for scholarships for college or summer dance programs. Scholarships were awarded to the following Southland students:

· Sofia Sciacca

$8,000 scholarship and early acceptance to the Bachelor of Fine Arts Dance degree program at Brenau University, Gainesville, Georgia

$600 scholarship to the summer intensive program at Brenau University

$600 scholarship too summer intensive program at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville

· Deborah Kpogo

Full tuition scholarship to Noble Motion Summer Dance Intensive, Houston, Texas

· Zoe Taylor

$8,000 annual scholarship and early acceptance to the Bachelor of Fine Arts Dance degree program, Brenau University

Acceptance/$600 scholarship to the summer intensive program at Brenau University

Acceptance to the summer intensive program at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville

$450 scholarship to the Summer Arts Intensive at Dean College, Franklin, Massachusetts

· Aniyah Helving

Acceptance to the Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance and the Bachelor of Science in Dance degree programs at the State University of New York at Fredonia, Fredonia, New York

Acceptance to the summer intensive program at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville

· Favour Emiko

Acceptance to the Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance and the Bachelor of Science in Dance degree programs at the State University of New York at Fredonia

· Jalah Phelps

Acceptance to the Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance and the Bachelor of Science in Dance degree programs at the State University at Fredonia

The dance program has been a part of Southland’s curriculum since the school’s inception and has grown in popularity and in offerings over the years. Sixty-five students, ranging from beginning to intermediate level, are enrolled in the program. Students graduate from the program with four years of technique and performance experience in ballet, tap, modern, contemporary, jazz, and ballroom dance including Tango, said Mrs. Chatman.

“Many of our students move on to pursue aspirations in dance at the collegiate level. Two of my former students are dance teachers in an elementary school setting,” Chatman said.

“It is not only important that the students learn how to perform various dance techniques, but it is also important that they understand how to incorporate socio-emotional strategies in their dance. They are learning to use dance to tell their story. We are blessed to offer such a comprehensive dance program,” said Chatman, who is a registered dance/movement therapist as well as a licensed dance educator. “Our dancers consider the dance room at Southland a safe space and have dubbed it their ‘happy place’.”

Chatman has integrated therapeutic methods with Davis’s technical methods into the regular dance education routine, which has helped the dancers not only enhance their theoretical, technical, and choreographic abilities, but also learn how to utilize therapeutic approaches to convey their thoughts and feelings through dance.

“The Southland dance program has meant a lot to me. It helped me to form a family-like bond with all the members of the program and made me feel comfortable expressing myself through the art of dance,” said senior Sofia Sciacca. “It also helped me explore the idea of dance as a major part of my future career because of the program’s rigor and diversity.”

Fellow student, junior Deborah Kpogo said, “The dance program has given me a very much needed outlet,” said junior Deborah Kpogo. “The dance program allows me to be free in my emotions and express things through motion. In a world where I can’t control everything, dance has taught me the discipline of self-control, both mentally and physically.”