2008 Deer Valley High School Dance Team

Cool Video (courtesy of Animoto)

2008-07-06T10:37:00.001-07:00

Put together using pictures from last season's competition.

Parent Boosters of DVHS Dance Team

2008-05-04T04:47:00.001-07:00

Taken 5/2/08 at the 2008 Spring Dance Show at Deer Valley High School.

7-year-old Alexandra Yee dances

2008-04-04T20:42:00.001-07:00

NOTE: Just a posting from a proud papa (grin)...

Alexandra is 15-years-old now, but here she is dancing a jazz solo (Come On Over) as a 7-year-old...pretty awesome ;-)

Jabba WockeeZ: Audition for "America's Best Dance Crew"

2008-03-26T15:16:00.000-07:00

If you've been watching "America's Best Dance Crew," then you'd definitely know about Jabba WockeeZ. They are awesome! I hope they win the whole thing, but in the meantime, enjoy this audition dance found on YouTube.

PICTURES: Nationals Competion courtesy of Tes Calara

2008-03-16T16:49:00.003-07:00

Here are a couple pictures courtesy of Tes Calara from this past week's Nationals Competition. Thanks, Tes.

NCS girls Div. I: Another section title for Berkeley

2008-03-02T10:07:00.000-08:00

By Ricardo Sanchez Jr.
STAFF WRITER

OAKLAND -- With one quarter of basketball on Saturday, the Berkeley High School girls basketball team finally answered all the questions it faced at the start of the season.

How would the team respond in the post-Gene Nakamura era? Could the Yellow Jackets continue the rich tradition established by the legendary coach?

"We just wanted to get the win," Berkeley guard Jazmine Perkins said. "That wasn't on our mind. Berkeley is a big name across the chest but there's no pressure."

Junior forward Airika Warren put to rest the issue with her 21 point-performance and the Yellow Jackets beat Deer Valley 62-45 in the North Coast Section Division I championship game at Oracle Arena, their 18th NCS title in school history and the first for new coach Cheryl Draper.

Warren scored 12 of her 21 points in a fourth quarter in which Berkeley outscored the Wolverines 27-9. The Yellow Jackets entered the final period trailing 36-35 but used a 15-6 run that put Berkeley (26-3) up for good.

"I noticed that my team needed a pick-up," Warren said. "So I picked up the tempo and we got in our rhythm."

Deer Valley (25-4) showed from the start that it wouldn't be pushed around. Warren committed an intentional foul on Wolverine forward Deserie Azlin, throwing her to the floor when both got tangled up fighting for a rebound. The play seemed to light a fire under Azlin, who scored nine-straight points after the foul in the final 3:32 of the first half.

Azlin along with Emily Allard, who scored 12 of Deer Valley's first 13 points, led the Wolverines to a 26-17 halftime lead. But it wouldn't hold up.

"We gave them the game," said Allard, who had a game-high 26 points. "It seemed like they wanted it more, even though I know that wasn't the case."

Turnovers and missed opportunities hurt the Wolverines, who were vying for their second NCS title. Still, Deer Valley coach Lindsay Wisely was impressed by her team's effort.

"We've been faced with a lot of adversity (this season)," Wisely said. "And our team has shown heart and courage."

The second half was a tough one for No. 1-seeded Deer Valley, which couldn't get anything going offensively. Meanwhile, second-seeded Berkeley responded with an 11-4 run to start the third quarter to get within 30-28 and back into the game.

"Our coaches get on us pretty hard at halftime," Perkins said. "We've never seen our coaches that mad before. It woke us up."

YouTube: DVHS Dance Team 2008 Season

2008-02-22T20:52:00.000-08:00

This is a customized YouTube video player that contains ALL the videoclips of the DVHS Dance Team's season-to-date. Thanks to Marvin Solorzano for all the videos...very well-done, I might add. This video player also includes some videoclips I took on my little clunker of a camcorder...I kept them just because they provide different views of the dances. Enjoy!

Pictures from Maggie and Lisa

2008-02-22T18:00:00.000-08:00

Thanks to Maggie and Lisa for these pictures. I believe the Character one was taken at the Forte Competition in Cupertino on 1/26/08. I kinda have these dates memorized now from posting all these videoclips in chronological order (grin).

Parents, if you have pictures to share, email them to me. And also, feel free to post your comments and positive reviews here on the blog. I'm sure our dancers read them.

According to YouTube, the WORLD has viewed our dance videoclips over 7,097 times!

Winter Dance Concert – a big kick

2008-02-22T07:53:00.000-08:00

Winter Dance Concert – a big kick: "Much of that celebration was on display in the Deer Valley High School Theater on Nov. 29 and 30, the scene of the ninth annual Winter Dance Concert. On the 29th, the theater was packed with raucous friends and family members of scores of dancers ranging in age from 5 to 90."

NOTE: Found this article on our Winter Dance Concert.

And yet more pics ;-)

2008-02-18T21:39:00.001-08:00

Thanks to Katherine Castilla for these pictures. Keep them coming ;-)

Pictures, Pictures, Pictures

2008-02-18T21:25:00.001-08:00

Some of you asked if I could post larger versions of the pictures from the side column. Here they are...

Thanks to Christina and Lisa for these pics. I've received more from other parents and I'll keep posting them here.

Celebration of the Stars: Character Dance - 1st Place

2008-02-16T23:38:00.000-08:00

DVHS Dance Team won 1st Place with this Character Dance at Celebration of the Stars Competition in San Jose. Videotaped by Marvin Solorzano.

Celebration of the Stars: Lyrical - 3rd Place

2008-02-16T23:37:00.000-08:00

DVHS Dance Team performed this Lyrical Dance at Celebration of the Stars Competition in San Jose placing 3rd. Good job! Videotaped by Marvin Solorzano.

Celebration of the Stars: Medium Group Dance - 3rd Place

2008-02-16T23:35:00.000-08:00

DVHS Dance Team performed this Medium Group Dance at Celebration of the Stars in San Jose placing 3rd...nice! Videotaped by Marvin Solorzano.

Celebration of the Stars: Kick Dance - 1st Place

2008-02-16T23:34:00.000-08:00

DVHS Dance Team won 1st Place with this Kick Dance routine at Celebration of the Stars in San Jose...outstanding! Videotaped by Marvin Solorzano.

Celebration of the Stars: Small Group Dance

2008-02-16T23:32:00.000-08:00

DVHS Dance Team performed this Small Group Dance choreographed by Deanna Ortega at Celebration of the Stars in San Jose...HOT! Videotaped by Marvin Solorzano.

Celebration of the Stars: Aleena Ferlin - Solo

2008-02-16T23:30:00.000-08:00

DVHS Dance Team's Aleena Ferlin performed this solo at Celebration of the Stars in San Jose. Videotaped by Marvin Solorzano.

Celebration of the Stars: Kristina Wheeler - Solo

2008-02-16T23:29:00.000-08:00

DVHS Dance Team's Kristina Wheeler placed in the Top 10 with this solo at Celebration of the Stars in San Jose...way-to-go, Kristina! Videotaped by Marvin Solorzano.

Celebration of the Stars: Amy Herrera - Solo

2008-02-16T23:27:00.000-08:00

DVHS Dance Team's Amy Herrera placed in the Top 10 with this solo at Celebration of the Stars in San Jose. Great job! Videotaped by Marvin Solorzano.

Celebration of the Stars: Christina Solorzano - Solo

2008-02-16T23:24:00.000-08:00

DVHS Dance Team Captain, Christina Solorzano, performed this solo at Celebration of the Stars in San Jose. Videotaped by Marvin Solorzano.

SLIDESHOW: Candid Pictures from Celebration of the Stars

2008-02-16T17:24:00.000-08:00

To mute the audio of this slideshow, simply click on the sound icon button. I posted all the great videoclips below from yesterday's competition provided to me by Marvin Solorzano (thanks, Marvin!!). Turn off the audio of this slideshow first before viewing dance clips. Enjoy!

USA Dance - Character Dance - 02/09/08

2008-02-09T09:31:00.000-08:00

2008 DVHS Dance Team performs its Character Dance at USA Dance at Monte Vista High 02/09/08. Videotaped by Marvin Solorzano.

USA Dance - Kick Dance - 02/09/08

2008-02-09T09:25:00.000-08:00

2008 DVHS Dance Team performs its Kick Dance at USA Dance at Monte Vista High 02/09/08. Videotaped by Marvin Solorzano.

USA Dance - Medium Group - 02/09/08

2008-02-09T09:08:00.000-08:00

2008 DVHS Dance Team performs its Medium Group at USA Dance at Monte Vista High School 02/09/08. Videotaped by Marvin Solorzano.

USA Dance - Small Group - 02/09/08

2008-02-09T08:51:00.001-08:00

2008 DVHS Dance Team performs its Small Group at USA Dance at Monte Vista High 02/09/08. Videotaped by Marvin Solorzano.

USA Dance - Lyrical - 02/09/08

2008-02-09T08:51:00.000-08:00

2008 DVHS Dance Team performs its Lyrical at USA Dance at Monte Vista High 02/09/08. Videotaped by Marvin Solorzano.

USA Dance - Aleena Ferlin - Solo 02/09/08

2008-02-09T08:50:00.002-08:00

DVHS Dance Team's Aleena Ferlin performs her solo at USA Dance at Monte Vista High School 02/09/08. Videotaped by Marvin Solorzano.

USA Dance - Kristina Wheeler Solo 02/09/08

2008-02-09T08:50:00.001-08:00

DVHS Dance Team's Kristina Wheeler performs her solo at USA Dance at Monte Vista High School 02/09/08. Videotaped by Marvin Solorzano.

USA Dance - Christina Solorzano - Solo

2008-02-09T08:50:00.000-08:00

DVHS Dance Team's Christina Solorzano performs her solo at USA Dance at Monte Vista High School 02/09/08. Videotaped by Marvin Solorzano.

Forte Competition: Character Dance

2008-01-26T21:15:00.000-08:00

Deer Valley High School Dance Team competed at Forte 2008 in Cupertino and won 1st Place in the Character Dance Division for this routine. GREAT job!

Forte Competition: Medium Group Dance

2008-01-26T21:00:00.001-08:00

Deer Valley High School Dance Team competed at Forte 2008 with this Medium Group Dance.

Forte Competition: Small Group

2008-01-26T21:00:00.000-08:00

Choreographed by Deanna Ortega; Deer Valley High School Dance Team competed at Forte 2008 with this Small Group number.

Forte Competition: Lyrical

2008-01-26T20:31:00.000-08:00

DVHS Dance Team's Lyrical Dance at Forte 2008 in Cupertino.

Forte Competition: Aleena Ferlin (Solo)

2008-01-26T20:30:00.000-08:00

Aleena Ferlin's solo on 01/26/08 in Cupertino...terrific job!

Forte Competition: Kristina Wheeler (Solo)

2008-01-26T20:00:00.001-08:00

Kristina Wheeler's very entertaining solo on 01/26/08 in Cupertino.

Forte Competition: Christina Solorzano (Solo)

2008-01-26T19:30:00.000-08:00

Christina Solorzano's solo on 01/26/08 in Cupertino. Christina is DVHS Dance Team Captain. Great job!

Forte Competition: Amy Herrera (Solo)

2008-01-26T19:00:00.000-08:00

Amy Herrera's solo on 01/26/08 in Cupertino. Amy was among the Top 6 dancers at this competition.