The YES Prep ACE & ASPIRE Live It Dance Competition is back! After a successful event last year at YES Prep Southside Secondary, the YES Prep dance teams were excited to showcase their talents again live on stage. The competition is a continuation of the Live It Dance Competition that started in 2018 at YES Prep North Central Secondary and has now grown to include all YES Prep schools. The event, which takes place annually in the spring, is highly anticipated by the students, staff and families of YES Prep.
The competition showcases the skills and dedication of the YES Prep dance teams and is divided into different genres including hip-hop, cheer and street dance. This year, over nine teams featuring over 75 dancers from across YES Prep schools came together to compete and dance their hearts out in front of a live audience.
The showcase
“This year we wanted to bring back the competitive aspect of the event.” said Carnetta Griffin, the manager of our Afterschool Centers on Education (ACE) programs. “This allowed students to truly put all their hard work into their routines...and who doesn’t want to walk away with a trophy claiming to be the best?” Additionally, the styles of dance differ from cheer, they include majorette, hip-hop and pom. We wanted to provide students with an opportunity to showcase their talents to their peers, families, friends and the overall YES Prep community.”
The Live It Dance Competition is more than just a competition. It is an opportunity for students to experience the passion, energy and excitement of dance. Dance is a powerful art form that promotes discipline, creativity and teamwork. The Live It Dance Competition offers students the chance to showcase their talents and develop life skills that will benefit them long after their school days are over.
When dancing, students pour all their emotions, obstacles and joy into each movement and turn it into a beautiful performance. Many students participate in dance because it is a positive way for them to express themselves. This event is a fantastic opportunity for students because it allows them to display all the arduous work they have been putting in throughout the year.
“My favorite moment of the competition this year was the duet performance by Mariah Brooks and Camryn Wilson from the West Marvels in Motion at YES Prep West Secondary.” said Griffin. “Their theme, execution and overall performance were top tier. Their energy was unmatched and left it all on the dance floor!”
Below is a list of this year’s teams and winners:
Teams In Attendance:
- Southside Dazzlers
- W.O.N. Dance Team (White Oak Nation)
- West Marvels in Motion
- North Central Blazerettes
- Northside Lionettes
- Fifth Ward Cheer
- Brays Oaks D.I.A.M.O.N.D.Z. Dancin
- North Forest Legends Cheer
Champion Categories:
- Team: Brays Oaks
- HS Open: Southside
- HS Hip-Hop: Brays Oaks
- MS Hip-Hop: White Oak
- MS Open: West
- MS Solo: Cindy Ruiz (West)
- MS Duet/Trio: Mariah Brooks & Camryn Wilson (West)
- HS Solo: Rodnessha Dyne (Southside)
- HS Duet/Trio: Princessa Trejo, Ayooluwa Ayeni, Katherine Hernandez (Brays Oaks)
Our special guests
The dance competition was coupled with a community vendor fair that had over 10 community partners offering free services to families on health and wellness, financial literacy and college-readiness. Some of the community partners included Houston Health Department, Harris County Public Library and The United States Marines. Parents and students could visit each vendor's booth and learn about the services they offered. The vendor fair was an excellent platform to educate the community on various services that they may not have known were available to them (see full vendor list below).
List of community partners:
- Houston Public Library
- Harris County Public Library
- World Financial Group
- Next Move Realtors
- Harris Health System
- DePelchin
- United States Air Force
- United States Army
- United States Marines
- United States Navy
- Health Insurance Broker
- Legacy Clinic at North Forest Secondary
- Team Swoll Gym
The Live It Dance Competition is more than just a dance competition. It is a celebration of talent, passion and community. The event brings together students, staff and families from different YES Prep schools to share in the joy of dance. The competition provides an opportunity for students to showcase their skills, learn valuable life lessons and appreciate the diversity of their peers. So mark your calendars early next year because the dance competition promises to only go up from here!