Meet NHHS Senior, Alexandria Schachter
By: Alexandria Schachter
I am in the final stretch of my senior year at Newport Harbor High School, which is, of course, bittersweet. I have enjoyed being an active participant in various clubs and sports that have provided me with the opportunity to engage with the community. Something I value very much and hope to continue in the next chapter of my life.
I have been a part of the NHHS dance team since my freshman year and currently serve as the captain. As a team, we dedicate numerous hours to perfecting our performances, intended to bring our school and community together and to give them a program to be proud of. Our performances have included school rallies, games, Dancing With The Teachers, and even the occasional Clippers game.
My passion for dance began at an early age, and it has been a constant part of my life ever since. When I entered high school, I wanted to continue dancing, so I decided to audition for my high school's dance team. Fortunately, I made the varsity team as a freshman. The decision to try out for the team was heavily influenced by the "older girls" I had looked up to growing up at my dance studio.
The aspect of the dance team I enjoy the most is the opportunity to bond with my teammates. Through countless hours of practice and rehearsals, I have developed close relationships with some of the funniest, kindest, and most supportive individuals I have ever met. The dance team has allowed me to form connections with people I may not have had the chance to meet otherwise, and these relationships have become an essential part of my high school experience. I also love the opportunity to perform for the community. Being able to bring people together through dance and provide a source of entertainment for others is such a rewarding experience. Sharing the stage with some of my closest friends and favorite people makes these performances even more special.
Something fun for people to know about our team is that, despite spending a lot of time in the dance room, many of us are also involved in the community in other ways. Some of us are members of the Leukemia Lymphoma Society, Youth and Government, and campus clubs like Blaze It Forward and African American Allies. Although we have crazy different schedules, dance is what brings us together.
As a current senior and captain of the dance team, I hold a leadership position that involves numerous responsibilities. One of my primary roles is to assist the coaches in organizing events and coordinating with the team. I am responsible for relaying important information to my teammates and ensuring that everyone is aware of schedules, performances, and other critical details. Additionally, I play a role in choreography, where I collaborate with the coaches and contribute ideas for our routines. I also choreograph dances independently for the team. In the past few years, I served as the public relations officer for the team. Mainly, my role as a senior and captain entails overseeing the team's operations and working closely with the coaches and my teammates.
We enjoy performing for people just as much as they enjoy watching us. Putting on shows and events is something we take pride in, and being able to support our community in this way is a rewarding experience. We are grateful for the opportunity to showcase our hard work and dedication while bringing joy to those around us.
As a team, we have passed some amazing milestones and accomplished our goals every year while creating unforgettable memories. Starting a new season and making it to our next performance is always a major milestone. We are especially proud of our Arreis show at the Davidson Field in 2021, which is one of the craziest things we have been able to pull off. One of our most memorable moments this year was during the Battle of the Bay; our music cut out mid-dance, but we kept on dancing and still managed to put on an entertaining performance for the community.
We wrapped up our annual 4-day Arreis show on April 1st, which is a huge milestone for us and a celebration of all the hard work we've put in. This event provides us the opportunity to showcase our latest dance routines alongside the rest of the dance program at Newport Harbor High School. The showcase features the culmination of months of hard work and dedication from our team and the rest of the dance program at NHHS. Arreis show is always a highlight of my year, but this past show was truly something special. I could not have asked for a better show my senior year and for that I thank my teammates, director, and coaches for producing not only an amazing show, but a memory I will forever cherish.
I am lucky enough to say that I have many people in my life who provide me with endless support and inspiration. My parents played a significant role in shaping who I am today and inspiring me to be ambitious. My long-time teacher and mentor, Sydney Smith, has kept me and my passion for dance up and running. Jamie Tanzer, the director of dance at Newport Harbor, has been a constant source of inspiration both in and outside of the dance room. Additionally, my coaches, past and present, have been strong motivators in my life. It is the people in my community, my friends, and my family who truly inspire me beyond words can explain, and for that, I am incredibly grateful.
When I have free time, I love to be involved in sports like track and field. Being a part of the track team for the past three years has been such a fun and exciting experience. I sneak that into my schedule on my days off from dance practice and I run in meets on the weekends. When I'm not competing or practicing, I enjoy spending time with friends, whether it's going to the beach on sunny days, or taking a hike, or going to a pilates class. Another activity I love to do is teach dance classes for children, or sometimes take a dance class myself in LA with a friend. Sometimes when I’m really tired, I will spend some of that extra time reading, taking a nap, or watching movies with my family.
As I look back on what I have accomplished over the past few years, I am proud to have been involved with some amazing community organizations that support causes that are important to me. One of these organizations is HALO Dance for Autism, which was created by a friend of my father's, Cami Marseilles, to support families with children who have autism through dance. I have been a part of HALO since I was very young, helping out backstage, running errands, and supporting the dancers from the audience. Over the years, I have also performed in HALO's benefit dance shows, which raises over $38,000 annually, providing families with financial support for special education services. In addition to performing, I am also involved in our school's HALO club, which raises awareness about autism and helps raise funds for students and families.
My involvement with HALO has inspired me to create my own program called Connect. Connect is focused on... well, connecting with others. Together with some friends and teammates, we teach dance to groups of differently abled children, providing kids with the chance to dance with their peers and have fun. Our program meets every Sunday, and it has been incredibly rewarding to see how dance can bring people together and create a sense of community. I co-founded Connect with my close friend Chandler Green, who is also my co-captain on the dance team, and Olivia Winberry, another teammate on the dance team whose little brother loves to dance in Connect and Emma Chaix, a former gymnast and current track teammate, who also has a little sister a part of Connect. It's amazing to see how our shared passion for dance and community can make a difference in the lives of others.
My time at Newport Harbor High School has been amazing and life-altering. I learned I succeeded, I made mistakes, I grew, I laughed, and I made connections that will last a lifetime. Newport Harbor was the perfect place for me to grow into the person I am today. I’m so glad to have been a part of a school where I had room to grow as a student and individual. Throughout my four years, I have embodied many of the school's core values, which I will take on with me after graduation, and through the dance program, I have learned how to be supportive and uplift my peers. While being on the dance team, I also made lifelong friends and memories that I hold so close to my heart. Since my freshman year, I have changed into a more confident dancer and person; while my dancing grew, so did my personality. Dancing with some of the most loving people I have met is an experience that has kept my heart fulfilled all these years. My time at Harbor really shaped me into the person I am today, and I am humbled to go to a school with such hardworking peers and administrators whom I can look up to. Harbor is/was the perfect school for me, and I’m so grateful for the time I spent at NHHS.
As I look ahead, I am still figuring out what lies ahead after graduating. I do know dance is definitely something I plan on continuing.
