St. John’s Annual Student Choreography Showcase

On Jan. 10, St. John’s held its annual Student Choreography Showcase (STUCHO), where high school dancers had the opportunity to showcase their creativity by crafting their own pieces. This year’s lineup, choreographed by seniors Kai Gomez, Rayna Kim, and Talulah Monthy, junior Libby Agrawal, sophomore Alyssa Theofanidis, and freshman Angela Mu, featured a wide range of genres, including hip-hop, lyrical, contemporary, and even a touch of ballet.

The choreography process began in fall of 2024, when St. John’s dance teacher Dorrell Martin set up a workshop for aspiring choreographers led by a University of Houston dance professor. After discussing preliminary ideas and building the foundational steps of the envisioned dance at the workshop, it was up to the student choreographer to select their music, choose dancers, and schedule rehearsals.

Eventually, a fall semester full of hectic scheduling and shifting gears cumulated in tech week leading up to the Friday performance.  

“I love tech week because it’s a time when everyone can walk in and really devote all their time and energy to the production,” choreographer Alyssa Theofanidis said. “The pieces all come alive, and it's really beautiful to watch them evolve.” 

Theofanidis, who has choreographed hip-hop pieces for STUCHO two years in a row, challenged herself this year by incorporating intricate formations to the song "Angels in Tibet" by Amaarae. Her piece “Love and War” featured eight dancers and complex moves, including a backflip from sophomore Julian Tan.

Addison Vine, Eli Hasan, Sama Talabi, Sophia Gidi, and Samantha Boyd perform “Love and War,” choreographed by Alyssa Theofanidis. 

“Hip-hop is not something that is regularly taught in the St. John dance curriculum, and it brings everyone who dances it so much empowerment and confidence,” Theofanidis said. “I’m so grateful for the opportunity to share that with other people.”

Each year, STUCHO ends with the senior dance, choreographed and performed by St. John’s seniors who want to participate. All the underclassmen in the concert get to watch from the wings and cheer them on. Having been in the dance department since her freshman year, the senior dance holds a symbolic meaning to junior Erin Bray. 

“It's definitely the most heartfelt dance to watch,” said Bray, who was the lead dancer in Libby Agrawal’s piece “Down to Earth.” “Seeing each senior class grow up and take that rite of passage has been really special.”

Because STUCHO is one of two chances during the year for St. John’s dancers to perform at school, Bray has seized the opportunity.

“It’s always nice to know that it's something we created ourselves,” Bray said. “It's authentic, and we’re really proud of that.”