IN THE CLASSROOM:Leaps and bounds beyond the norm

“Ooh, baby, baby it’s a wild world,” Cat Stevens croons, as three teens sway, clap and turn.

“Try to get as close together as you can,” instructs Arianna Ross, a sophomore at Laguna Beach High School. She guides sophomore Rachel Busic and junior Kelly Hancock toward each other, scrutinizing their movements as the music continues, unnoticed.

Also ignored are their stuffed school binders and books, strewn on a nearby platform. While working, the girls enter another world. They join hands, separate, move as one thought.

They and six other Laguna Beach Dance Company members are putting the finishing touches on routines for next weekend’s Student Choreography Concert 2006.

“Now I know what it’s like to be in the teacher’s shoes, having to teach rowdy teenagers — I have more respect for them,” said Busic, who also choreographed her own piece. “This program has taught me about perseverance.”

Some pieces will be small duets; some large production numbers. But all were entirely conceived by students.

“This is their show,” said show director Erika Whalen. “They all have ideas of their own, but it also gives them a chance to be their own leader.”

Dance Company artistic director Tod A. Kubo had interested students audition their choreography ideas last May; those who were chosen worked on their routines over the summer.

The routines selected for the show represent a variety of styles, from lyrical to jazz. The former was selected by Ross for her piece.

Ross described her choreography as depicting the eventual breakup of friends; their lives were intertwined at the beginning of the song, and then the dancers moved apart until its conclusion.

“This [lyrical style] is the fad of their generation,” said Whalen, an alumni from the class of 2001. “It was just starting to become popular when I was graduated.”

As director, Whalen is responsible for behind-the-scenes tasks like press releases, bake sales and technical programming; the creative reins have been handed to the students.

“I feel like they did a good job on the show; they didn’t make it a popularity contest,” said Whalen. “I’m not baby-sitting; they get stuff done.”

Ross said that she’s learned responsibility, describing the need to be on time and get everything together.

Both Ross and Hancock emphasized the strong friendships they’ve built through the program; many of the students are involved in other extracurricular activities together.

Ross, Busic and Hancock have also appeared together in Gallimaufry’s Generation GAP productions.

The dance program, now in its 11th season, includes classes that range from pointe ballet to jazz to contemporary; three boys are involved in the program this year, so a pas de deux class is also offered.

The school houses a state-of-the-art dance studio, built in 2003, that is equipped with theatrical lighting and a sprung dance floor; the studio converts to become a performance space.

“I’m a little bit envious,” Whalen said with a smile, looking around. A 2001 graduate, she recalls the program’s fledgling roots.

“This is leaps and bounds beyond when we were in the portable [classroom] above the pool,” she said.

A costume shop is also on-site, but this performance will not be heavy on costumes.

“Most students chose to be in dancewear,” Whalen said. “They want it to be about their choreography rather than big, flashy outfits.”