Pirate Motion brings ‘Viva Las Vegas’ magic

Submitted by Anjie Lee

The glitz and glamour of the Las Vegas Strip arrived at Moapa Valley High School on Feb. 20, as the Pirate Motion dance team hosted its annual junior dance camp and “Viva Las Vegas” revue.

Transforming the old gym into a high-energy showroom, the stage was decked in red, black and gold, featuring iconic imagery of dice, playing cards and palm trees. The event drew a standing-room-only crowd of family, students and community members.

The week kicked off with record-breaking participation at the junior dance camp, which saw 70 dancers from pre-K through sixth grade enrolled. Under the mentorship of Pirate Motion team members, the young performers spent Tuesday through Thursday learning choreographed routines themed to the Vegas spirit.

“I look forward to junior dance camp so I can teach the younger kids and then watch them perform,” said Pirate Motion Captain Ashley Robinson.

The main event on Friday night opened with a high-octane performance to Elvis Presley’s classic “Viva Las Vegas.” The showcase featured a diverse lineup, including six routines from the junior campers and guest appearances by the Mack Lyon Middle School Marinettes, coached by Stephanie Thornton, and competitive groups from Studio B, owned by Brianna Wait.

In a crowd-pleasing twist, the dance team’s escorts took to the floor with a routine set to “Poker Face.”

“The dancers made fantastic choices in their escorts,” said Pirate Motion coach Anjie Lee, noting that one escort even traveled from out of town to attend daily practices. “These guys were great sports, supportive and talented – true gentlemen.”

The evening concluded with an awards ceremony emceed by assistant principal Mitchell Ozaki, recognizing individual excellence within the Pirate Motion team. Senior Ashley Robinson took home the night’s top honor as “Dancer of the Year.”

Other winners included:

Veteran of the Year: Madi Marshall (senior)

Rookie of the Year: Sawyer Thornton (freshman)

Best Choreographer: RayceLayne Schraft (junior)

Most Spirited: Sadie Nelson (sophomore)

Best Technique: Paisley Nelson (sophomore)

Most Improved: Sophie Wood (freshman)

For the team’s seniors, the final curtain call was bittersweet.

“Senior year has been amazing on the dance team,” said first lieutenant Madi Marshall. “We had the best group of girls that made Revue so memorable. I’m going to miss being on a team with everyone.”

Sadie Schulties also commented, “Revue this year has been such an amazing experience. I enjoyed the week leading up to revue and spending time with the girls on the team. As a team, we became really good friends, which made it hard to say goodbye.”