by ABBI DAVIES
Chadwick senior Sophie Lalas is known around Chadwick’s campus as a star soccer, volleyball and lacrosse player and WickMedia chief of staff, many don’t know that she has been dancing from the age of 2.
From the moment Lalas stepped into a dance studio, she knew it was the sport for her.
Lalas began her dance career with ballet, which she pursued until she was 10 before deciding to take a three-year break.
“Ballet is a very strict kind of world, and if you’re going to pursue it into adulthood, it takes a lot of hours,” Lalas said. “Your body is constantly working to this point of no return.”
Despite her break from the club world, Lalas continued to keep up with the sport of dance through YouTube videos and practicing in her room until a friend introduced her to something new.
“My friend asked me when I was about 12 if I wanted to take this ballet/hip-hop class at the studio I’m currently at, and I immediately said yes,” she said.
“I went and totally fell in love with hip-hop and, ever since, it has become my favorite genre of dance to this day.”
Lalas has since joined Manhattan Beach’s Fifth Row Center competitive dance team that focuses on hip-hop and jazz.
The team participates in the dance center’s general shows and performs in competitions.
In her performances, Lalas often participates in group dances. “I love to be part of a bigger group that can work toward something. I love watching group dances, whether at competitions or concerts I watch; those are the most interesting to me.
“Competitions in L.A. usually are pretty close by because there is such a prominent dance community here.”
Senior Samantha Solomon, who is on the same dance team ass Lalas and attends the same classes, marveled at Lalas’ skills. “She’s so hard-working and dedicated, and I really admire her dancing style and commitment to the sport.”
Along with dance, Lalas has yet another creative talent. She enjoys choreography, especially for her junior students: “I like to teach little kids at my studio, so I tend to make up very simple choreography for those classes.
“Sometimes in my classes, we have portions where we have to choreograph our own dances. I actually had a part in choreographing the lip-sync competition this year for my grade, and then I also had a part doing it last year. Lip sync was such a crazy and fun time. I wanted people to have fun, so I kind of embraced all the parts we messed up or that weren’t perfect.”
Lalas has served as the main choreographer and coordinator of the Chadwick Class of 2024’s Homecoming lip-sync competition for the past two years.
Many students have credited last year’s electrifying performance with cementing the lip-sync event in Chadwick’s Homecoming week.
For last year’s lip-sync battle, Lalas choreographed a medley of songs, including Pump It by the Black Eyed Peas, Crazy in Love by Beyoncé, and Everybody (Backstreet’s Back) by Backstreet Boys.
“She did everything–she was the main choreographer, she hosted all of the rehearsals, and mixed the music. She is very talented in many different areas and very good at communicating her ideas,” said senior Tish Melton, who performed Lalas’ choreography both years.
As her senior year winds down, Lalas has begun to look into the future.
“For me, I never really went into the college process thinking about where I could join the best dance team because, in my mind, I can dance wherever I go,” she said.
“It is something that will always be with me. I’m just seeing where my life takes me, and wherever it is, I’ll have dance to pursue!”
The Mainsheet 