By Mary Conner
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The largest international urban dance competition, World of Dance (WOD), kicked off their first event of the year at the Blaisdell Arena on Jan. 23 for a show that included four MHS students, two of which were members of the group who won second, Canvas Disciples, and one was a member of Studio 808, the group who took home third. Hosted by world renowned dance artist, Ricky Cole, and featuring a variety of other special guests, the event provided an unparalleled experience for dancers and spectators alike.
“(WOD) was so fun, being able to be in the same room and share the stage with so many of the crews in Hawaii, that usually doesn’t happen. It was amazing to see the dance community united,” said Sophomore Jada Dumawal, a member of Canvas Disciples.
Because WOD wants their company in time to become the global authority in urban dance, they include world top performers in their events. “Being asked to perform alongside not only amazing people was a gift within itself. There wasn’t ever a dull moment and I learned so much from Canvas Disciples,” said Dumawal. For participants, the atmosphere had been a little overwhelming compared to their everyday routines. “It was crazy because I spent years of just watching (studios perform) and being on that stage,” said Junior Dylan Seapno, a member of Canvas Disciples. “The (day of the competition), I was nervous going into it, but then it kind of sunk in. I was so excited to finally be on that stage, I couldn’t help but just think, ‘It’s finally here.’”
Even with the intense competition, the dancers found themselves in a very supportive atmosphere. “We’re really a family. Everybody was supporting each other, even if they weren’t part of the same studio. It was very fun, very friendly. Even though there were rivals there, they were very supportive of each other,” said Senior Camay Oliveira, a member of Studio 808.
To prepare for this event, dancers took extra time from their schedule to rehearse their routines. However, for some, the competition wasn’t their key focus. “It wasn’t even the competition that was important to me, what mattered was what I accomplished with my crew, and what I grew from and learned from. And you know what? No matter what, thinking about it now, even if we didn’t even place, we had already won. What we accomplished in there is going to last forever,” said Seapno.
For many of the participants, dance has been a key part of their lives—allowing them to express themselves in multiple ways. “When I dance, I feel like I don’t have to be who I am. I’m not set down as one person,” said Seapno. “I can be whatever I want to be, I can imagine myself as so many other things. It allows me to be creative and keeps me fighting for something. It’s something I just really enjoy.” Dumawal added, “I’d say that dancing lets me be myself, and as cliche as that sounds, I really do see the dance floor (as the place) where people can see my true personality.”
Many of the dancers plan to continue dancing after high school, whether as a hobby or a career. Oliveira plans to open her own dancing business and to travel the world teaching dance to others. Dumawal wants to use dancing as an outlet to relieve her stress during college. No matter their plans for the future, participants of WOD know the event has impacted their dancing career for years to come.
