Prince William Co. school dance team introduces students to new cultures

Marissa Medrano knew she wanted to join a dance team when she got to high school, but she was unsure exactly what it would look like.

Now a sophomore at Gar-Field Senior High School in Woodbridge, Virginia, the interest became a reality when Bridgie Weber, the dance team coach and a math ESOL teacher, told Medrano about the opportunities to get involved with an untraditional dance team.

Instead of hip hop or ballet, Weber leads a group of about 50 students blending music and dance from various cultures.

About a decade ago, some students told Weber about the Bhangra team they started. They learned she was familiar with the Punjabi dance from her time in college. She agreed to become the coach, and last year, the team blended four dance styles for the first time.

“It helps them connect with people, with different cultures,” Weber told WTOP. “We have language barriers here. It helps bring kids together.”

Gar-Field is the only high school in Virginia’s second-largest school district to have a Bhangra team. The dance originates from the Punjab region of India and Pakistan, and features various props.

“It’s my first year, but it’s a lot of movement,” Medrano said. “A lot of jumping and bouncing, and each move means something, and you’re telling a story based on your moves.”

Part of the team dances to K-pop music, others work through Tinikling, a traditional Filipino dance, and some learn various Latin dance styles, including salsa, merengue and cumbia.

“You could learn more culture that you’d never experience in your life,” said senior Kharl Mejos. “It makes you feel welcome and welcomed by other cultures too.”

In the fall, the team practiced for several hours twice a week. All four groups met at the same time, and Weber split up her time between them.

Leading up to a recent spring performance, the groups practiced daily for several hours.

Beyond dance, many of the students play sports and have full-time jobs, Weber said. If they have other commitments at the time of a scheduled practice, they learn the moves at home.

“A lot of kids, when they first come here, they have no clue what they’re doing. And at the end, they’re teaching other people because they’ve learned so much,” Weber said.

Sophomore Jada Lyles, for one, joined the K-pop team because of its diversity.

“No matter what culture are you from, if you’re from India or from South America or any country you’re from, your dance from their country matters because you’re expressing yourself, you’re expressing your culture,” Lyles said.

Medrano, meanwhile, is happy with her choice to get involved.

“To make friends and to learn about different cultures. I didn’t know Bhangra existed before I joined the team this year, and how many different dances there are out there that no one knows about,” Medrano said.