From “Thriller” to “Footloose” and “Bad Romance” to “It’s a Hard-Knock Life,” the 10th annual dance concert brought audiences to their feet and had them “cuttin’ a rug” in their seats.
From Feb. 27 through March 1, Buford dance held its annual dance concert, “Decade of Dance,” at Buford High School’s Performing Arts Center. Described as a “nostalgic journey” that revisited iconic routines from past shows, the show celebrated 10 years of passion and artistry demonstrated through the dance program.
The show kicked off with a dance number to Michael Jackson’s “Smooth Criminal” and featured hip-hop, contemporary, jazz and group performances throughout. There was even a step number set to “The Joker” that had the crowd roaring their approval and a tap dance sequence to the classic rock song “Back in Black” by AC/DC. The audience also enjoyed a zombie-inspired dance to Roisin Murphy’s “Ramalama” and A.R. Rahman’s “Jai Ho” which showcased Bollywood dancing. The crowd favorite, however, was arguably Michael Jackson’s “Thriller,” which came at the end of the show, just before the finale. The finale itself featured a handful of dance-themed songs like “I Wanna Dance With Somebody” and “Please Don’t Stop the Music” as well as streamers, confetti and dancers in the aisles of the performance center.
Lindsay Davis, whose daughter Natalia is a sophomore and has been a part of the dance program throughout high school, raved about the show’s success.
“There’s nothing better than watching your kid do what they love. I love the friends Natalia has made through dance,” Davis said. “Buford puts on a great show and has a great dance program. Congratulations, Buford, on a ‘Decade of Dance.’”
Natalia Davis herself performed in many of the show’s numbers, including her favorite to “Fix You,” which featured her and the rest of the Buford Dance Team.
“I really liked the show’s theme this year because it was cool to see the original dance and then see the new one and how much the dance department has developed over the last ten years,” Davis said of this year’s show.
Lauren Hess, another mom whose son Carson participated in the show, was especially grateful for the inclusivity of the dance program at Buford.
“We have loved seeing the confidence that dance has given Carson and all his friends. It’s so nice Buford has a dance program for kids of all abilities and levels,” Hess said. “He has always loved to dance and this program gave him a chance to shine with everyone else.”
Students who were part of the show have been working tirelessly on the show in class since the beginning of the school year. While they learned most of the dances at school, many small groups rehearsed and learned dances outside of class as well.
Taylor Sawyer, a freshman who is also a rising star on the softball field, loved the experience she had participating in her first high school dance show.
“I had a small group so we had to learn the dance outside of class. My friends were probably really tired of me practicing the dances wherever I went,” Sawyer laughed. “I loved being on stage and hearing the crowd cheer us on. The feeling is similar to softball. I can perform in front of a packed audience or hit a home run in front of a crowd and feel the same rush of adrenaline and excitement! It was a blast.”
Ellie Lopez, another first-year dance student, enjoyed her experience as well.
“It was really cool to be part of the dance show. I have never really been a part of a production like that before. It was different from the other extracurricular activities I do,” Lopez said. “My favorite part was probably getting ready in the dressing rooms with my friends and, obviously, performing the dances on stage with all the cool lights.”
Both girls, Sawyer and Lopez, commended their dance teachers, Ashley Smith and Leah Adcock, for their dedication and hard work in front of and behind the scenes to make the show such a huge success.
“I want to give a shout out to Mrs. Smith and Mrs. Adcock for putting on the best high school show ever,” Sawyer said.
Lopez added, “I think Mrs. Adcock is such a good teacher! She has such a fun personality and is a great teacher. I am so glad I get to have her next year, too.”
Justin Johnson, assistant principal at BHS, also had a daughter who performed in the show and he gave high praise for the performance.
“For 10 years, it never ceases to amaze me the level of skill, the production value, and the growing number of students that are part of our annual Dance Show. Mrs. Smith, and now along with Mrs. Adcock, continue to raise the bar as they have built this program into the state’s best. Their attention to detail in each dance allows each student to feel like their class or group number is the most important of the show, no matter the skill level. Each individual in the show is empowered to feel seen, valued, and part of something bigger than themselves,” Johnson said. “As a dad of a daughter in the program, that’s all I can ask for. Being on stage in front of a packed house can be scary. Doing so while dancing can be even scarier. So, my hat is off to all of our students that worked tirelessly and created something special, and the teachers that allowed them to do so.”
Buford Dance will hold its Young Choreographer’s Showcase later this year at 6:30 p.m. May 6 at the Performing Arts Center at BHS.
FEATURED PHOTO: Buford High School dance students perform the finale at the school’s 10th annual dance concert, “Decade of Dance,” on Feb. 28, 2025. Photo by Leslie-Ann Phillips.
