UPDATE: Window Flash Mob

(5/24/11)

During first lunch on Tuesday, the Window Dance Ensemble surprised everyone in the Commons with a flash mob. The dance started with two members dancing and in just seconds the rest of the group had joined in. Students from all over the Commons looked on, and some even stood on tables, as the group danced to the Beyonce song “Move Your Body”. The dance was a preview of their performance at Wayland’s Got Talent.

(5/18/2011)
Students and teachers will take to the stage on May 25th for the third annual “Wayland’s Got Talent” in order to raise money for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. The talent show was inspired and started by science teachers Corrine Lowen and Helen Rainoff. Rainoff, who retired last year, was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma in her late twenties.

Organizers hope that this year will be the most successful yet, as an anonymous donor has offered to match the show’s final profit to double the donation.

Check out a preview of just a few of the acts:

Haylee Rosenblatt:

Class of 2012

In addition to being the stage manager and the student connector for “Wayland’s Got Talent,” Haylee Rosenblatt  plans to play the piano and sing with fellow junior Debbie Ng.

“I thinks it’s just a really good idea for all of the students and teachers to come together for a really important cause,” said Rosenblatt. “People should really come out and support [the talent show] if they’re not going to be in it.”

Rosenblatt describes the show as “not high pressure at all. If you want, we‘ll find people to do [an act] with you.”

Entrepreneurship and Business Management (EBM) Group

Working independently from the rest of the class, some EBM students have volunteered to manage the sales and marketing for the talent show as their EBM final. Students Kelsey Burke, Kenya Heard, Caitlyn Pineault, Julia Saltzman and Cristina Timperio will be putting up posters and creating a Facebook event while also making rounds to homerooms to recruit people to attend the show.

Judith Pickett:

Learning Resource Team Member

“I’m out there with everybody else, so there’s nothing to be afraid of,” said teacher Judy Pickett.

As a veteran member of the annual teacher dance, Pickett will perform a dance that is choreographed by junior Elisa Bushee, a member of the Window dance ensemble.  While Pickett is excited for the performance itself, she also enjoys collaborating with the other teachers and students.

“We help each other out and laugh a lot,”  Pickett said. “The kids get to see us sort of being human.”

Marina Shelton:

Class of 2011

Marina Shelton will be dancing alongside Alex and Katie Roy. During their dance, Marina plans to stand up from her wheelchair. She hopes to show what people with disabilities are capable of.

Although Marina doesn’t have an extensive background in dance, her mother is a ballet teacher, so a love of the performing arts seems to run in her family. Being onstage is Marina’s passion, and she has been performing her entire life.

“When you have a shaky feeling about [performing], then just pretend no one is in the room and really let it come from your heart,” said Shelton.

Alex Roy:

Class of 2013

Sophomore Alex Roy will be dancing with his sister, senior Katie Roy and senior Marina Shelton at the talent show.

After dancing for approximately eight years, Roy feels as if his experience has helped him manage the stress of performing in front of peers.  “You should focus on the performance and not the people who are watching,” Roy said. “Do it for yourself.”

Corrine Lowen:

Science Teacher

Another member of the “Wayland’s Got Talent” teacher dance is science teacher Corrine Lowen.  Although she does not have a dance background, Lowen has participated in the teacher dance for the past two years. She has been told that students enjoys the teacher dance because none of the participants are experienced dancers.

“Students should not be nervous about doing the talent show,” said Lowen. “None of us know what we’re doing, and it’s really fun. We all make mistakes, and it’s for a good cause.”

Nikhil Mysore:

Class of 2013

Sophomore Nikhil Mysore will be performing Poi, a type of juggling that originates in New Zealand. After doing a similar act in last year’s talent show, as well as at the coffeehouse this year, Mysore plans to perform for the community once again. In sixth grade, Mysore learned Poi from jugglers who visited the middle school. For this year’s talent show, he will be juggling in the dark, using glow-in-the-dark Poi.

“Hopefully, [my performance] will be really cool.” said Mysore.

Jill Swenson:

Spanish Teacher

Wayland high school students should be prepared to see another side of Spanish teacher Jill Swenson during the talent show as she joins her coworkers in this year’s teacher dance. Although Swenson’s dance background is limited to childhood classes, she looks forward to the dance as an opportunity for a fun experience that will benefit a great cause.

“The teachers set a good tone in that we tend to poke a little bit of fun at ourselves because we’re certainly not professionals,” said Swenson.

Matt Cooper:

Class of 2014

Freshman Matt Cooper will be playing acoustic guitar as part of his solo project, [charadeFace]. Cooper’s musical interests began in kindergarten when he learned to play piano and expanded five years later when he traded in his piano for a guitar. After joining his current band, Pacifists at War, Cooper performed his first big show last September at The Raven in Worcester. This history of performing has helped to expel Cooper’s pre-show butterflies, and he now feels confident in performing at any occasion. Cooper will be singing his own original songs at the talent show.

Ryan Budnick:

Class of 2012

Junior Ryan Budnick has been playing piano for the majority of his life and plans to display his mastery at this year’s talent show. Budnick’s piano career began at the age of six, after his mother encouraged him to pick up the classical instrument.

“I’m looking forward to doing something fun,” said Budnick.

Caitlin O’Keeffe:

Class of 2013

Sophomore Caitlin O’Keeffe will be playing her cello with a group of friends for the talent show.  Along with her experience from Junior Districts, O’Keeffe is also currently a member of two orchestras.  O’Keeffe loves performing because of the sense of community within a show.

“There are people to back [you] up and help [you],” said O’Keefe. “Everyone gets that nervousness before they go on, but it’s just a matter of turning it into adrenaline.”

At 7 PM on May 25th, Wayland High School students and faculty will perform in the third annual “Wayland’s Got Talent,” an all-school talent show. The price is $8 for kids and $10 for adults. Tickets can also be purchased at the door for $10.

Check out the highlights of last years show»