After dancing for eight years, sophomore Kelly Masucci is now part of the Red Rhythm team on campus, and works with other mediums of dance in her own time. For Masucci, dance is an outlet for expression, and has become a positive way to push her boundaries in the art.
Kelly Masucci
Name: Kelly Masucci
Grade: 10
Future college: Undecided
Wingspan: How many years have you been in dance?
Masucci: “I danced for a couple years when I was 3 or 4, then again from 7-11, and then freshman year until now, so about 8 years.”
Wingspan: Would you consider pursuing dance as a career?
Masucci: “I probably wouldn’t because it’s very competitive and probably stressful.”
Wingspan: What got you into dance?
Masucci: “I started dancing again in 3rd grade when I stopped playing volleyball and was looking for another activity. A family friend mentioned that it would be fun so I started with a class at a studio and it was really nice.”
Wingspan: How do you feel when you dance?
Masucci: “Dancing is a lot of fun because when you walk into the studio you kind of forget about your problems and just dance. I really like trying new skills and it’s really fulfilling when you can see your improvement.”
Wingspan: How does it help you express yourself?
Masucci: “Everyone kind of has their own style when they dance, and it’s fun to make movements your own when you can. There are also lots of different styles of dance, which means you likely feel you’re expressing more of yourself in certain styles than others.”
Wingspan: Have you taken any classes?
Masucci: “I’ve taken classes at a studio- jazz, tap, ballet, hip hop, lyrical, contemporary and musical theater, and in Red Rhythm we mostly do jazz and kick, but we’ll do other styles sometimes.”
Wingspan: What preparations do you have to take for dance?
Masucci: “We have to stretch a lot to make sure we don’t injure ourselves, and we have to spend a lot of time perfecting routines so that we can score higher.”
Wingspan: What’s the biggest challenge you face in this subject?
Masucci: “The biggest challenge is probably getting out of my comfort zone to make movements bigger, and kind of putting even more energy into everything to help the performance aspect of it.”
Wingspan: What is your favorite part?
Masucci: “My favorite part is getting to dance alongside my friends, because it’s easier to work together and make a dance better when you’re all friends. I also like just learning new combos and trying different skills.”
Wingspan: How does it impact your life?
Masucci: “Dance has impacted my life a lot. It’s given me a lot of really close friends and a way to do something I enjoy no matter what skill set I have. You don’t have to be the best dancer to enjoy it, and a big part of your success is effort, so it’s nice getting to work hard and get better even if you weren’t born an amazing dancer.”