Kingsley High School tangos its way to dance competition crown
More than 1,800 high school students in colorful clothes expressed their appreciation for foreign culture Friday afternoon.
Foreign Language Day, a collaboration of more than 45 mid-Michigan high schools, showcased the French, German, and Spanish languages and cultures.
“We’re glad to see programs extending within the high schools,” said Patti K. Cotter, the event’s coordinator and administrative coordinator for the foreign languages, literatures and cultures department.
Spanish dancing, the most popular of the three categories, took place in Warriner Hall’s Plachta Auditorium, while French and German events were in Pearce Hall.
An awards ceremony took place in Plachta Auditorium where winners were announced and then reperformed their winning routines.
Kingsley High School won the Spanish category with the tango, East Jordan High School won the German category with their rendition of a German dance and Essexville Garber High School won the French category with the cancan.
Meghan Hugh, a high school junior from Garber, and her team had been practicing for the event since November, often during their lunch periods and Sunday afternoons.
“It benefits us to learn about other cultures. It can help us in everything we do,” she said. “It’s cool that we can come here and show everyone how hard we have been working.”
First place winners in each category received plaques and second and third place winners got certificates.
Bay City sophomore Matt Reckinger was a volunteer judge for the competition.
“Everyone had a different style,” he said. “Some were traditional – others were more modern. Other groups were just a normal dance to French music. It’s hard to judge based on that.”
Along with cultural song and dance competitions, poetry readings, skits and interpretive readings displays were built.
Student displays took a step further than the usual paper mache and included screw guns and lumber.
“It was like they were building a house,” Cotter said. “We’ve never had anything that intense in previous years.”
CMU hosts the 34-year-old event to let students showcase what they have learned and recruit them to the university.
Cotter said she sees a bright future for the annual event.
“People’s reactions were very positive and people want to come back,” she said. “We will continue to do this as long as it is positively perceived.”
