Everyone who’s been to see the IB Dance Showcase knows that it is an amazing night filled with unique dancing and lots of fun. But how well do you know the person behind the magic? Read on to learn all the details of our interview with Mrs. LaLota!

Q: Hi, Mrs. LaLota! Thanks for doing this interview with Port Press! So, for our first question… How many years have you been running the IB Dance showcase?

A: This is the 8th year Northport has held the IB Dance Showcase.

Q: That’s so cool! What is your favorite thing about it?

A: My favorite thing about the showcase is watching all the moving pieces come together and seeing the culmination of a lot of our classwork take the stage.

Q: Yes, it’s amazing! What is your least favorite thing about it?

A: My least favorite thing is that I get a little overwhelmed and stressed trying to make it a great night for all involved.

Q: Hopefully you get a chance to relax now! Speaking of all the work involved, what is the most amount of dances/acts to ever be in the show?

A: This year we had 32 dance pieces and over 250 district wide participants. It has been the biggest showcase yet.

Q: Wow! Overall, what is the hardest part about organizing it?

A: The hardest part of putting it together is working with all the different groups involved (ie: IB Dancers, Advanced Dancers, Tigerettes, Ocean Ave, Pulaski Ave, 5th Ave, ENMS, NMS, students helping with the costumes, students helping with the head shots, students videotaping and taking pictures during the performance, etc.) and getting them all on the same page.

Q: That must need a lot of configuration. Have the elementary/middle school students always performed in it?

A: The first year we had the showcase, it was just opened to the IB Dancers as a means to show their families a small part of the IB Dance curriculum. I’ve always wanted to work with elementary school students and it took a few years to figure out how to get them up to the high school. The physical education teacher at Pulaski would allow us to come over and teach dance to her students after school. The 3rd, 4th and 5th graders liked it so much that I invited them up to perform at the showcase one year. From there, it has snowballed to include other elementary schools and even our middle schools.

Q: That’s awesome. Okay, last question. What are some of your favorite styles of dance to see in the showcase?

A: I love that we have different styles of dances in the showcase. Some of the most unique ones have been: African Dance, Irish Step Dance, Tap Dance, Flamenco Dance. I love that every student, no matter what their background, has an opportunity to grow, express themselves and perform at the IB Dance Showcase in whatever style they relate to and participate in.

That’s amazing! Thanks for taking the time to answer so thoughtfully! Have a great rest of your year!

What teacher should we interview next? Comment below!