![IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Junior Zalie Mann performs “I Love to Cry at Weddings,” an ensemble piece from the fall musical Sweet Charity, to prospective students during the Fine Arts Showcase on Wednesday, Nov. 8. The showcase is a compilation of performances and demonstrations from each fine arts strand offered at McCallum. This show is put on so that prospective students can see if they are interested in joining an academy or major.
Sweet Charity originally ran the weekends of Sept. 28 and Oct. 8, but made a comeback for the Fine Arts Showcase.
“[Being at the front in the spotlight] is my favorite part of the whole dance, so I was super happy to be on stage performing and smiling at the audience,” Mann said.
Mann performed in both the musical theatre performance and dance excerpt “Ethereal,” a contemporary piece choreographed by the new dance director Terrance Carson, in the showcase. With also being a dance ambassador, Mann got to talk about what MAC dance is, her experience and answer any questions the aspiring arts majors and their parents may have.
Caption by Maya Tackett.](https://bestofsno.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/53321803427_47cd17fe70_o-1-1200x800.jpg)
![SPREADING THE JOY: Sophomore Chim Becker poses with sophomores Cozbi Sims and Lou Davidson while manning a table at the Hispanic Heritage treat day during lunch of Sept 28. Becker is a part of the students of color alliance, who put together the activity to raise money for their club.
“It [the stand] was really fun because McCallum has a lot of latino kids,” Becker said. “And I think it was nice that I could share the stuff that I usually just have at home with people who have never tried it before.”
Becker recognizes the importance of celebrating Hispanic heritage at Mac.
“I think its important to celebrate,” Becker said. “Because our culture is awesome and super cool, and everybody should be able to learn about other cultures of the world.”
Caption by JoJo Barnard.](https://bestofsno.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/53221601352_4127a81c41_o-1200x675.jpg)
Q&A: Robinson alumnus performs at the Super Bowl
“It was the first time I performed in front of thousands of people”
February 17, 2021
The Super Bowl was a memorable moment for Tampa Bay, with a home win for the Buccaneers and an iconic half time performance by The Weeknd. Alongside the singer was an army of dancers dressed in The Weeknd’s classic red blazer and bandaged face look; seen throughout the halftime show, they contributed to the livelihood of The Weeknd’s solo performance. Amongst the crowd of red blazer dancers was Robinson alum, Reggie Allen.
Allen was part of Robinson’s class of 2019 and captain of the Starlets dancing team, frequently competing, and performing at school events. Currently, they are attending school to become a professional dancer, the recent half time show was one of their biggest stage so far. They shared with us some details of this once in a lifetime experience.
Q: How did you find out about the opportunity to perform at the NFL Superbowl?
A: “I found out about this opportunity from a choreographer at this studio I go to. At first, it was an audition but after a while, people were just being invited to join this amazing opportunity.”
Q: Were there any special procedures/requirements you had to go through?
A: “We had to get tested for COVID-19 every 48 hours, wear [a] KN95 mask that they provided to us, [we were checked] for any symptoms, and the usual stay six feet apart.”
Q: How was practice before the performance?
A: “Practice before the performance was good and stressful at times. We practiced at the Steinbrenner Stadium as well as Raymond James. We practiced all together for about eight days.”
Q: What did it feel like dancing in the costume and at half time show overall?
A: “Dancing in the costumes and in the game felt very good. It was the first time I ever performed in front of thousands of people and on TV.”
Q: Did you get to keep the costume?
A: “Yes, we were able to keep our costume.”
Q: Did you get to meet The Weeknd?
A: “Yes, for a brief moment I got to say hi to him and he spoke to all of us.”
Q: Do you feel like being on the Starlets helped you get to where you are today, and what do you look for in the future, in terms of dance?
A: “Being a part [of] Starlets has helped me get to where I am today. If I haven’t been a part of the team, I would have never known how much I love dancing. In future terms, I see myself teaching students of my own.”
This story was originally published on RHS Today on February 17, 2021.
