Senior Dancer Wins First Place in Improvisation

On Feb. 22, senior Jennifer Vieweg won first place in the Contemporary Soloist Improvisation category at the West Coast Elite (WCE) Dance Regionals in Corona, California. After being a part of Peninsula’s Varsity Dance team since her sophomore year, Vieweg decided to compete as a soloist for the first time this year. 

Dance improvisation tests a dancer’s ability to create fluid movements through body mapping. In these categories, the judges play a random song that the dancers have not prepared for beforehand, and the competitors have to make up their own dance to the music as they perform. The participants are then scored based on their quality of movements, interpretation of the music and display of emotions throughout the piece.

“You perform a solo prepared with everything but the dance itself,” Vieweg said. “Although [many dancers] at WCE are qualified, not many people [compete in this category] because it is an intense experience. [Luckily, I had] my team’s support while I was dancing.”

Vieweg’s parents encouraged her to participate in a variety of sports from a young age, including soccer, volleyball and ice-skating. Eventually, Vieweg focused her passion on dancing at four years old. Since then, Vieweg has been training at a variety of studios, including Elite Dance Studio, The Studio and South Bay Movement. She currently practices for up to 25 hours a week practicing outside of school and with the Varsity Coed Choreo, Varsity Dance and Choreo Company dance teams at Peninsula. 

“I do dedicate a lot of time [to dance], but it goes by fast because [I am having fun while dancing],” Vieweg said. “Dance is a self-motivated sport. There have been moments [of exhaustion], but those are the times when you have to push yourself.”

Vieweg’s mother, Karrie Vieweg, is inspired by her daughter’s progress in dance. Karrie Vieweg believes that her daughter’s hard work and determination is evident in her performances, and she is especially proud of her placement as a soloist at WCE Dance Regionals.

“I always tell Jennifer to feel the music and tell a story through her dance,” Karrie Vieweg said. “I see the confidence she brings to her performances and her [unique interpretations] of the dance. These strengths have become evident this year while she has been competing with Varsity Dance and Varsity Coed Choreo.”

Freshman Meghan Ke has been dancing with Jennifer Vieweg for four years at The Studio. Ke also competed at WCE with Jennifer Vieweg and has seen her dancing and presence develop onstage.

“Jennifer inspires me because she always does her best,” Ke said. “She is extremely passionate about dance, [which shows] through her movement; [that is what] makes her so enjoyable to watch.”

Jennifer Vieweg did not expect to place first in the Soloist Improvisation category, so she is proud of how far she has come. From this experience, she hopes that her performance will inspire others to step outside of their comfort zones. In the future, she plans to continue dancing at the collegiate level. 

“I want to pursue dance in college because it has drastically impacted my life,” Vieweg said. “It taught me to have confidence and be constantly motivated to [improve] myself throughout my dance career. I hope to achieve more as a dancer in the future, and placing first in the Soloist Improvisation category was a great start.”