Janet Yang (283)

Joyce Zheng, a senior at Central High School, has participated in numerous cultural showcases. She has become more involved in choreographing for her clubs and other dance organizations as her dancing expertise grows. Joyce began dancing to stay fit and release stress during her freshman year as Covid-19 forced people into quarantine lockdown. She began by watching YouTube tutorials and practicing daily, gradually building up her confidence in her dance techniques. After returning to in-person school, she decided to perform for International Day for the first time. “Just the amount of adrenaline I felt standing up on that stage as I heard people cheering my name felt like such an incredible experience that it inspired me to pursue dance,” Joyce said. Joyce then joined a number of other dance organizations and events, including Chinese Pop Culture Appreciation (CPCA), Korean Student Association (KSA), and Hope 4 Tomorrow (H4T), a dance group based in Philadelphia.

Joyce is the dance instructor in Chinese Pop Culture Appreciation. She routinely practices with the dancers and plans what moves will accompany the song. She keeps dancers in rhythm with the music, emphasizing the importance of specific motions, and executing facial expressions. “I think the best part of being a dance instructor is seeing the growth in the members from the start to finish,” she remarked. “Seeing the improvement from the first practice to the actual stage practice is what makes me proud.” While dancing with CPCA on Mondays and Thursdays from 3:15 until 5, she also practices with KSA during the week. Fashion and makeup play a vital role in adding charm to the performances. Joyce chooses clothing that relates to the concept of the song or is similar to what K-pop members wore when performing.

She met H4T founders CC and Linda while performing with KSA and CPCA, who introduced her to a dance group outside of Central. Joyce was able to dance at special events, like the Mid-Autumn Festival in Chinatown, and in a variety of public settings throughout the holidays because of H4T. H4T also performs dance covers, in which Joyce and her fellow dancers cover popular K-pop dances. Large amounts of work go into each cover as the choreographers must select members, book studios, and set up practice dates to help the dancers learn the choreography and patch up details. Outfits must also be selected, make-up needs to be done, and then everything must get filmed. “To me, H4T is like my second family,” Joyce explains. “Through encourag[ment] and constructive criticism, I’ve met so many amazing people in H4T who have helped shape who I am today, as a person and as a dancer.”

Despite her time at Central coming to an end, Joyce has big hopes for her dancing career. She intends to attend college in Philadelphia and hopes to join her dream school’s K-Pop club, Penn K-Beats, to pursue her passion for Korean music and choreography.