Rio Mesa students to dance 'Lion King' roles
By Michelle Knight knight@theacorn.com

BILL SPARKES/Acorn Newspapers AIR SHOW- Stephen Guyetti, 17, of Oxnard performs an aerial dance move, above, as other members of the Rio Mesa High School Dance Team rehearse for their roles in tonight's "The Circle of Life: A Lion King Story" at the Oxnard Performing Arts Center. Below right, Mikayla Richter, 17, of Camarillo has a broken arm but will nevertheless join her dance teammates in the 7 p.m. performance.

Move over, "Dancing With the Stars."

Nearly 100 Rio Mesa High School students will be the stars in a 40-minute performance of "The Circle of Life: A Lion King Story" tonight at the Oxnard Performing Arts Center.

The curtain rises at 7 p.m., tickets are $6 at the door.

This is the first of two shows teacher Debbie Blum's students perform annually. The spring show is usually held in May.

Blum began offering dance as a physical education class 13 years ago. She'd been a track and cross country coach at another school and wanted to start something new when she transferred to Rio Mesa. As word spread, more and more students signed up for the class and soon Blum had enough students to perform in a show or two.

At first the performances were held in the school gym. But as they became popular with audiences they were moved off campus to community centers. This, the 12th annual event, is the first winter performance to be held in a professional theatrical venue.

"These kids have gotten really good," Blum said.

Blum said having structure in the classroom helps her students get beyond the selfconsciousness that usually accompanies the teenage years.

"We have fun, and I'm pretty strict with them or we couldn't produce all that we do," she said.

Blum said students learn self-confidence and poise through dance, and are trained in more than movement. Usually dance and other performing arts classes are the first to be cut when districts face financial shortfalls. She discourages selfaggrandizement, emphasizes responsibility and respect for others and encourages a spirit of support and cooperation among her students. Students must maintain a C average to be in the class.

Elyse Osslond of Camarillo said her classmates don't criticize each other.

"They're here because they love it, and I love being here with people who love to dance," said the 17-year-old senior who has been dancing since the age of 3 and is in Blum's advanced class. "I would say that we all treat each other and dance at a professional level, which is really nice for a school production."

Elyse expects lots of her family members to be in attendance tonight, since the show is the kickoff for her grandfather's 90th birthday party.

Some of Blum's students chose to attend Rio Mesa for one reason or another and serendipitously discovered the dance classes. Juniors Sanjali Kumar and Hannah Zeltzer, both 16, opted to come to Rio Mesa instead of their neighborhood school, Adolfo Camarillo High School, because of the advanced placement classes and diverse student population. The dance classes were icing on the cake, they said.

"I feel like I've learned all sorts of different kinds of dance and it's broadened my horizons," said Sanjali, a math honor student. "I feel like I'm a lot more well rounded."

"I love dance and it's just a way for me to relax and just let loose and take a break from all the stresses of life," said Hannah, also an honor student.

Senior Stephen Guyette, also in the advanced class, plans to follow in the steps of other former students and pursue a career in dance. He won't allow social gender stigmas to hinder him but focuses instead on his love for dance and on industry role models, such as Gregory Hines and Mikhail Baryshnikov. The 18-year-old Guyette will audition tomorrow for California Institute of the Arts admissions representatives.