The rhythm of the Hip-Hop team members’ feet pounded on the ground, leaving the crowd roaring at a recent pep rally. The audience gains excitement as they see a new type of dance performed.

With support from dance teacher Alexandra Gates, who is the faculty adviser for the new Hip Hop club, junior Nathan Tavarez helped organize the crew by hosting additions that yielded 14 recruits.

“We spend our Tuesdays and Thursdays after school working hard and choreographing our dances together,” junior Abigail Tovar said.

The team put much effort and teamwork into their dances. Majority of the dancers only started to take dance recently, but they see it as something they would like to do in the future.

The team  is currently planning on going to competition next semester.

Senior Reynaldo Tamayo just started taking dance seriously last year but sees dance and choreography in his upcoming career and in his future.

Tamayo’s position on the Hip Hop team is just a dancer but he also contributes to to the choreography of the dances.

“I feel like the team is making progress and people are getting a lot better,” sophomore Joseph Atkinson said. “If there is a hip hop class next year, I would want to join so I can improve.”

Senior Paula Vuorela, an exchange student from Finland, is excited to be a part of the Hip Hop Team. Vuorela has danced ballet for 11 years in her home country, and is currently in her fifth year of dancing hip-hop style.

“I like being in a group because it’s a good experience to try new stuff and I’ll be able to do something no one else can do when I go back to my country,” Vuorela said.

This after school program has been a learning experience and opportunity for some students to learn something new, and commit to something they love to do. The team hopes it will turn into a class next year.