Corona del Mar High School students and staff will hit the dance floor next week for a night of fun, competition and entertainment.
The 5th Annual “Dancing with the Teachers” will be held in the big gym on the CdM campus at 7 p.m. on Thursday. The performance is presented by and is a fundraiser for the school’s dance company, Orchesis.
The event is the group’s spin-off of the popular reality TV show and dance competition, “Dancing with the Stars.”
Guests can pay $1 to vote for their favorite teachers. Votes from students and judges will be tallied to crown an overall winner and a few other awards.
There are 15 “celebrity” CdM teachers and staff members that will be hitting the dance floor this year, including Corona del Mar High School Principal Kathy Scott.
This year’s dancers will also include: Jessica Abulencia, Nicholas Breslin, Jennifer Campbell, John Gunnin, Kathy Hath, Katie Holtz, Sarai Juarez, Heather Kroeger, Elisa Ramirez, Nelson Rojas, Vicky Schwarz, Karen Siebert, Morgan Wahl, and Dennis Wilbanks. There will also be a special mystery guest dancer.
Guests can expect to see history teachers hitting all the hip-hop moves and chemistry teachers cutting a rug. Other departments involved in the dance include: Science, math, art, Spanish, world language, English, special education, physical education, and counseling.
The dance will also help support families in need through a canned food drive. Guests will receive one vote for every canned good brought in on the night of the event. The collected food will be donated to Second Harvest Food Bank.
Students have said at past events that they enjoy seeing their teachers in an environment outside of the classroom. It’s a fun and interesting way to get to know another side of them, students commented.
Teams typically consist of two students and either one or two teachers. Each team chooses their own style and work on choreography for several weeks before the performance. The roles are switched during the preparation, the teachers are learning the dance moves from the students.
Although teachers have said during in previous years that it’s a lot of work, it’s also a lot of fun. And the final performance is great entertainment for everyone.
During previous years, teachers have also commented that the event is a fun way to build their relationships with the students.
Tickets are $5 presale and $7 at the door. Presale tickets are available through Thursday during the school’s lunch and break time in the CdM quad.
