Company: Chandler High School Modazz – Winner C2 Choreography Competition
Choreographer: Angelina Flores
Performers: Abby Dierks, Water Dow, Elke Fajut, Fiona Fajut, Angelina Flores, Jaeden Herrera, Jaida Jones, Leah Le, Denice Melitante, Sennette Ruff, Starr Segovia-Lara, Dana Son, Izzy Stephens, Taylor Tracy, Ally Villanueva
The Never Again movement, started by the survivors of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting, has echoes that have spread across the country. It’s youthful advocates, denied access to the ballot box by virtue of their age, are voting with their voices and their bodies, initiating walkouts and protests and delivering blistering testimonials. In the absence of any meaningful action from the deadlocked “adult” community, they are making their presence felt, including here at Chandler – where the Chandler High School Modazz dance group chose to demonstrate with their art.
With “Never Again” we were witnessing a work by young people who understood that this issue put their own lives on the line. From the Q&A, it was clear that many of them were moved to tears by a school shooting documentary that was part of their subject research and, undaunted, resolved to translate that grief and fear into their performance. Sincere and compelling, their physical artistic expression moved the audience in way that the endless dialogue surrounding this issue could not.
If this is what high school “kids” are capable of on their own, we can look to the future with some hope for this world.
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