Although the Skyline Dance competition isn’t scheduled to happen until Friday, May 11 at 7 p.m., practice is in full swing and not only are the dancers excited to showcase their talent but so are the coaches.

Aaron Alferez, a Skyline student majoring in dance is in the upcoming competition and went on to elaborate on the greatest challenge that they face.

“(It is) How complicated hip-hop can be due to the intricate moves you have to do,” Alferez said. “People have to do event choreography and different dances at the same time but you still have to be in sync and having things down to timing, cause in hip-hop there is stuff in the music you have to hit or it throws everything off.”

Despite the challenge, Alferez enjoys the challenge of teaching his dance team the, “intricacies of dance.”

In addition to elaborating on what it will take to win, Alferez went on to give some advice to any students who are curious about dancing.

“When I first started I was shy, I wasn’t even in the mirror, just on the side learning to dance, but its just something you have to enjoy, because you’re not the only one starting off. And dance is about sharing compassion with each other.”

Amber Steele, an instructor for the dance competition and full-time faculty member of the dance program, explained that dancing has to be felt with passion in order to approach it.

“Dance is skill that you just have to put time into, and everyone was a beginner, and most people who are still dancing are doing it because they really love it, ” Steele said. “We love getting to come to meet a challenge when we come it, and sharing that with other people, and finding that success on a daily basis, little baby steps of winning, is what makes you love dance for life.”

When approached with the question if he was concerned about the other competitors, Alferez went on to state, “I would say I am not worried” about the competition but excited. For me I more excited to see what they brought this year.”

Professor Steele who also expressed excitement for the competition went on to say “It’s really inspiring to see another good team. So even if something turns out to be amazing I feel like we come home feeling inspired to try again and get more creative the next time around.”

When approached with the questions on how Professor Steele’s previous experience has helped her on the path that she’s on today, Steele stated “I just try to challenge myself, mentally, psychically, weather its trying to create a new concept or idea.”

Gary Ferguson who is the head in charge for the this years competition was described by his fellow peer, Steele, as “an amazing teacher. He gets people to do things that really difficult to do, and trains people to learn techniques and new skills faster than another dance instructor that I have ever seen. Has an amazing background, teaches ballet and tap, Broadway, and hip-hop. He’s a master across the broad.”

Ferguson, who not only teaches at Skyline but at Mercy High School as well has a background experience in ballet, tap, hip-hop, Broadway musicals, was able to state that “winning is great but doing our best is most important. Every team at this level is very strong and some days the other team is simply better”.

When approached who he consider his biggest rival for this year’s competition, Ferguson stated “Our biggest rivals are ourselves. But, Dixie State and CSU Dominguez Hills” would be our rivals.

This spring semester on May 11, the Skyline Dance competition will occur and has been promised to be an amazing show with a lot of effort put forth into it by the students of Skyline and facility members.