RB’s Deler dancing on Broadway in “West Side Story”
May 21, 2012 by maxwellk
Filed under Features, Top Stories
Mark Deler is an RB alum who discovered his passion for dance while he was a sophomore. Orchesis dancers recruited him to perform with the company after they saw him perform in the school’s theatrical productions. That summer, dance teacher Mindy Haines gave him a pamphlet about a summer intensive program to help improve his dance technique.
“It all snowballed from there,” he said.
Deler remained a member of Orchesis throughout his junior and senior years. In addition, he joined the Repertory Dance Ensemble as a junior.
Today, Deler is a recent graduate of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champagne with a bachelors in dance, and he is looking forward to a very exciting future. Deler is going to be performing with Broadway’s National Tour of West Side Story. He explained that he went through three rounds of auditions that began with 200 men and ended with only two. Although he said there was “lots of going back and forth [between N.Y. and the U of I],” Deler feels that it was “well worth it.”
“I feel very blessed,” he said.
Deler will be performing with the company for nine months after one month of intensive rehearsal. He will be a member of the Shark Ensemble and an understudy for the Sharks’ leader, Bernardo. The Sharks are one of the two feuding gangs around which the musical revolves.
It has been Deler’s dream since he was a child to perform with West Side Story because it is his favorite musical. He also said
that he could not have gotten to where he is now without RB’s Fine Arts Department. It sparked a passion within himself and provided him with the encouragement to realize his dreams.
He said, “I am living proof that [the fine arts do] work.”
Orchesis starts dancing through RB
RB students are now able to express their love for dance. Every year at RB, freshmen through seniors are invited to try out for the Orchesis dance team. Approximately 65 students showed up to the informational meeting on October 22 so they could have an opportunity to try out for the dance company.
The students learned the routine for their tryouts on Wednesday October 21 in the new dance room. On the day of the try outs the dance room was filled with aspiring young dancers. They wanted the chance to dance in front of the school and choreograph routines.
The Orchesis instructor Mindy Haines says, “Each choreographer has their own motivation/vision for their dance.” All the dances will be very unique and anyone on the company is eligible to create their own dance. There will be a total of fourteen dances created by the students.
Not only will students be choreographing, but three guest choreographers will be coming to RB. They each will teach the students one dance that will be performed at the show on April 30th and May 1st at 7:30 P.M. in the main auditorium.
Last year, the Orchesis team was invited to dance at an AIDS benefit. They once again have been invited to perform at Dance for Life: Next Generation. Last year they performed dances called “Momentum” and “C’mon”
On Sunday March 7th, they will go to Wheeling High School to show their dances. Sophomore Vilija Aleksa says that “Dance for life was a great experience because not only were we performing, but helping people who are going through a hard time.”
Practices will start very soon and before long, the show will be right around the corner. Save the dates of April 30th and May 1st to watch these ladies dance
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