Arms up. Stand up straight. Deep breath. Here we go: one-and-two. Left foot forward. Right foot back. Again. Now, turn. And watch your partner’s feet!
For 17-year-old Peter Kelpin, this is what ran through his mind last week at the second annual "Dancing with the Stars" at Cresskill High School.
"I’m usually clumsy for salsa, but that night we pulled it together," said Kelpin, a high school senior and dance novice until now.
But Kelpin is not the only one who successfully hip-swiveled his way through a ballroom dance performance inspired by the popular reality show.
The "Dancing with the Stars" event tested 25 Cresskill high school couples in a social dance contest with three rounds of foxtrot, salsa, waltz, swing and rumba. Mambo dance champions and Englewood couple Carolina and Felipe Telona performed as special guests.
"I think a lot more excitement stirred and more kids came this year," said Barbara Muller, physical education teacher and event mastermind.
While the spotlights and music cut through the darkness in the gymnasium, the dancers waited backstage for Master of Ceremonies Eric Roth to call out their names. More than 300 people crowded the bleachers, fingers pressed against their digital cameras and camcorders.
All couples bowed before the audience and panel of judges — a collective rainbow of bright greens, blues and reds. Muller then gave some final words of encouragement: "There are no mistakes, this is a social dance contest."
Each couple completed two rounds of one quick and slow dance. The top-scoring couples would make the finals.
Students Susanna Daly and Daniel Heller, dubbed couple No. 53, fox-trotted past their competitors as Frank Sinatra crooned "Ain’t that a kick in the head." The audience whooped and cheered swingers Carly Billings and Michael Johnson for their flips and dips.
Just five weeks ago, a majority of the students could not tell the difference between the clave-driven salsa and the sensual rumba rhythm. Many had never danced with partners before either.
"At first, it was hard because you’re both listening to the music and you’re sort of pulling each other all over the place," said Alexa Kravitz, a 17-year-old senior. "He’s trying to lead and I’m like, ‘But the song doesn’t go that way.’"
Muller taught students ballroom basics during social dance class. And in the days before "Dancing with the Stars," Muller held practices after school and invited professional dance instructors to help the students transition from dancers with two left feet to wicked salsero/salseras.
The lessons paid off.
High School senior Jason Raggi, 17, said that "It came to the point when I didn’t even have to try [with the steps], I just came out and did what I wanted to do."
For a change of pace, the mambo dance stars performed a theatrical arts dance to "Goodbye, my lover" by James Blunt.
Felipe effortlessly lifted Carolina above his shoulders as Blunt sang, "As you move on, remember me. Remember us and all we used to be." He then brought his partner down and her legs whipped around in a fan kick.
At the end of the song, the two dancers fell to the ground in a heap on the gym floor.
The finalists then took to the floor for the final round.
After the judges weighed their decisions, Muller announced the winners: Laura Tiedemann and David Cho won first place; Susanna Daly and Daniel Heller placed second; and Danielle Krumbein and Dimitryi Druk came in third.
High school senior Amber McAndrews, 17, said that it didn’t really matter who won "Because it was all about having fun anyways."
Kelpin agreed saying, "Social dancing is just a good skill to have, especially salsa. Like I can say, ‘Oh yea, I can salsa.’"
