By Mary O’KEEFE

It is time once again for students at Crescenta Valley High School to put their best entertainment foot forward and show that CV’s Got Talent at their annual performance at MacDonald Auditorium at 7 p.m. on Friday.

The show is produced by the CVHS Advanced Dance and will highlight not only the talent of the dancers from the Advanced and Intermediate classes but singers, songwriters and bands.

“It shows the diversity of CV students, not just in academics but in their art,” said Alex Crawford.

Advanced dance will be performing a variety of styles of dance from ballet to hip- hop. Joe Oh is a senior and has been in CVHS dance since he was a sophomore. He choreographed two dances, one with fellow dancer Josh Lee.

Oh and Lee have combined hip-hop, lyrical and break dancing for their performances.

“I listen to the music first, then think of the moves,” Oh said of how he starts to choreograph his dance.

He said his dancers do listen to him and they work together. He likes that the performance will include a variety of talent from CVHS.

“I think it’s great to see people with different skills. Talent is unlimited,” Oh said.

Lee, a second year CVHS dance student, said that he approaches choreography similar to Oh. He enjoys his style of dancing and thinks the audience will too.

“It is a mix of funk and hip-hop,” he said.

All dance requires training and strength. The type of dance Lee and Oh have choreographed includes headstands and muscle control.

Freshman Toeksu Kim is one of Lee and Oh’s dancers. He said he has used his training in martial arts for his dance.

“You have to constantly practice every day,” Kim said.

Crawford and senior Molly Shelton also choreographed dances for Friday night’s performance. This is the fourth year the girls have been in Advanced Dance. Through those years the style of dancing has changed.

“I think it has become more technical,” Crawford said.

Shelton added that with each new group of students the dance style changes depending on their type of training at studios outside the classroom.

“The type of dance we do now is what we brought to the class,” Shelton said. “It is different than previous years.”

“And it will change next year,” Crawford added.

Shelton and Crawford said they have learned a lot over their four years.

“I think we have all learned to become more organized as a group,” Crawford said.

Shelton added the class has taught her how to better manage as well. The students are in charge of every aspect of the performance. Teacher Fredda Manzo mentors them, but it’s the students who choreograph and choose most of the songs.

The performance is a fundraiser for the CVHS Dance. Tickets are sold at the door: $10 for adults, $5 for students with identification at the door. CV’s Got Talent is one night only, Friday at 7 p.m. at the school auditorium, 4400 Ramsdell Ave.

  Leonard Coutin, Mary Okeefe