A ‘Solid’ performance

The Solid Hip Hop dance group demanded the attention of the crowd Friday at the Plaza Arts Stage of the Orange County Fair. The group gave an upbeat, flamboyant performance, replete with neon outfits and relentless bass beats.

The Murietta-based dance group put together a performance that comprised 10 sets of hip-hop dancing, each with its own different tunes.

The performance had multifaceted urban styles of dance, such as break dancing, tutting, popping and robotic movements.

The dancers kept each routine fresh by varying the music and their changing outfits frequently.

“It was entertaining,” said George Carrillo of Bell Gardens. “I liked the music.”

Many in the audience were surprised to see such talent come from youngsters.

“They danced well to the music,” said spectator John Castro. “I appreciated the fact that they were kids, and they still had the nerve to get up there. A lot of [adults] won’t even do that.

Fellow audience member Jesse Garcia agreed. “They do it well for their age — especially the popping and locking,” he said.

Garcia was particularly fond of one of the younger dancers who performed break dancing moves.

“I like when the little kid was on his head, kicking his feet, then doing a flip,” he said.

The dancers who performed were mostly between the ages of about 9 and 15.

They were divided primarily into two teams: the older crew (called the Solid Six), and the younger crew. However, only four of the Solid Six dance members were on the dance stage, due to various reasons.

“A lot of people weren’t here,” said dancer Gaby Ivanova, 15.

This made it a little bit harder on the remaining four, some of whom danced extra to fill in for the missing members.

According to dancer Shawna Cady, 14, the dancers are at the end of their performing season. “We just had our Las Vegas competition last week,” she said.

Fellow dancer Carissa Hammatt, 14, said it isn’t always easy to get onstage. “It’s very nerve-racking the first time you perform,” she said.

Hammatt said the most difficult routines require group synchronism.

“In my opinion, the hardest part is when we’re all doing the same choreography, because we all have to make sure we’re in sync and our styles are the same,” she said.

Yet the dancers all seem to have fun when they’re onstage. “What I like about hip-hop is that when you perform, you get to go all-out with it,” Cady said.

For more photos, click here.

Things To Do

Swing Dancing

Grab your shoes and come to see the Salsa Swing Dancers perform at the 1 p.m. at the Plaza Arts Stage. No extra admission is required.

Fun Facts and Farm Animals

Make your fair experience an educational one. Come out to the Centennial Farm to see farm animals and learn about them. The exhibit will be at 11:30 a.m. and the Millennium Barn. No extra admission required.

The Working Poets

It’s the last weekend of the fair, so come see this band perform live at 10:45 and 11:45 a.m. at the Meadows Stage of the Fair Square. No extra admission required.

They Said It

“I liked petting the animals at the fair. I petted all of them.”

— Emily Olson, 8

“I want to win fish. And frogs, too.”

— Desiree Uht, 14