DANCE: Poly students band together in a new dance team called Bear Mob.
By Natalie Apostol, Staff Writer
Poly bid farewell to dance teams such as 8-Pack and Showstoppers, but it now greets a new dance team: Bear Mob. The fresh team, composed of ten members, is taking over the dance floor with their urban moves and remarkable swagger. Former member of Showstoppers, Taylor Stafford (10), broke away from the team to create and take charge of the new dance team. “I thought, ‘Hey! Why not start my own team where everyone [on the team] has a say and just has a lot of fun?’” Stafford exclaimed. Stafford’s mother and current teacher at Poly, Mrs. Kim Marlowe, became the advisor of the team, making Stafford’s vision of creating a new dance team a reality. “My interest in becoming the advisor is purely [based on] the desire to see my daughter perform and fulfill her dream,” Marlowe expressed.
Alongside Stafford, members of Bear Mob are eager to dance and work together as one unit. Each member dedicates approximately four hours per week to practice and perfect routines. They perform in school functions such as halftime shows at basketball games and will soon perform at Poly’s assemblies. “We want all the students at Poly’s assemblies and pep rallies to really have fun and get loose,” Stafford said. What separates Bear Mob from past performance teams is their rambunctious energy and stronger work ethic. While the team mainly showcases hip-hop moves, they also incorporate other styles of dance that the ten members are trained in, varying from jazz to salsa. Each member of the squad has the opportunity to contribute their own ideas rather than listening to the directions of one leader. “We collaborate on the choreography to make something we think will hype up the audience,” Olivia “Mari” Cichocki-Bartlett (12) stated.
Bear Mob plans to bring more spirit to Poly with their lively attitudes and creative choreography in upcoming performances, including the Poly Song Team’s Showcase and Prom Assembly. “The audience can expect us to go hard and leave it all on the floor. The ten of us love to dance, and we are so happy and excited to be performing for Poly!” Cichocki-Barlett further expressed.