Kristen Patricio rocks it!
One of the most wonderful things about SI, and one of the things that we want to highlight as the year comes to a close is the incredible opportunities that SI students have in multiple areas of interest. Whether it is furthering their academic interests through Speech and Debate competitions, pursuing arts through performing in the Spring musical, or taking part in the athletic community through playing in the Bruce Mahoney, SI students apply themselves in a wide variety of passions. One student, Kristen Patricio '24 has done just that, expressing herself through dance and choreography opportunities on the SI Dance and Drill team.
What is your favorite piece you've danced or choreographed?
My favorite piece that I have choreographed would be “Uproar”; I choreographed this over the summer with senior, Mary De Guzman and we performed this for the Women’s Basketball Bruce. It was such a lively and energetic piece and somewhat different than what we normally do.
Who, if anyone, is your dancing idol?
I don’t have a dance idol but I have a few dancers I look up to. Kyle Hanagami is one of the main dance influencers I look up to. His videos and dances were the reason I started dancing. He choreographs for many well known artists such as BTS, JLO, Beyoncé, etc. My dream in life is to meet him and take one of his classes in LA.
What's your favorite part about dance?
My favorite part about dancing is being able to express myself. It’s something I’ve always been passionate about because I’ve been dancing since kindergarten. I love learning new styles of dance and growing on my technique.
What are some of the challenges and victories of dancing?
A challenge for me is just being in the right mindset when it comes to dancing. You stare at yourself in the mirror for hours judging every single movement you do. I think dancing can lead to some issues with self image. Like if you don’t like the way your body looks when you dance it somewhat affects your mood and causes you to not do your best. I think one of the biggest victories in dancing is having such a supportive community. At drill, we don't judge others and constantly are uplifting each other. We always cheer each other one and highlight the parts we do well.
Winston Zapet '23 is a Vol. 71 Managing Editor