Performing at the Phoenix Mercury game are (in no particular order): Iram Moreno, Mia Moreno, Eylla Armenta, Lana Mostrales, Abby Mostrales, Amaya Rodriguez, Ellie Rodriguez, Junior Rodriguez, Ellie Gardner, Evelynn Pitner, Sylvia Macias, Leticia Macias, Brandii Babino, Stasja Ellison, Victoria Casillas, Aaliyah Vera, Emeryck Misfud, Mason Misfud, Laveah Castaneda, Mariah Nunez, Evelyn Casillas, Timber Lopez, Emmett Lopez and Sofia Acevedo. Photo by Debbie Torres
Local dancers of the Superior Dance Company had the crowds at two major basketball games on their feet cheering!
When Superior Dance Company director Billie Jo Villaverde contacted a Phoenix Suns account executive about performing at an upcoming Suns game, they asked what type of dance they would be performing.
“I gave them an option: Baile Folklorico, Selena, or Hip-Hop,” Villaverde said. “He liked the idea that we had options, but said they always have folklorico dancing and although it is a crowd favorite, they haven’t had a Selena Tribute performance.”
After sending him photos of their Dia de Los Muertos performance showing all the girls wearing their Selena costumes, he was floored!
“He especially liked the purple costumes and thought it would be perfect for ‘La Cultura night’ with purple being a major color in the Suns background, our purple costumes would stand out,” Villaverde said. “He gave me a schedule and I picked one of the biggest games in March (the month Selena passed away in 1995) to use as a celebration of her life.”
It was the Phoenix Suns vs. Boston Celtics.
After their performance, the Suns rep said they were one of their top performances of the season and asked if they would be interested in dancing at a Phoenix Mercury game.
“Of course, I said yes!” Villaverde said. “When their season schedule came out, he called me and I had first pick.”
She chose the biggest game of their regular season: Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever at Phoenix Mercury in June.
When the rep asked what the kids would be performing, Villaverde was emphatic.
“I said we are going to bring the house down with Hip-Hop! Even though my current dancers hadn’t performed a hip-hop routine, I knew they were going to deliver a great performance!”
SDC started a Hip-Hop dance camp and soon Villaverde had dancers coming every week, not just from Superior, but driving from Miami, Kearny, and Mesa for class. The energy was high and these dancers couldn’t wait for freestyle, to show off what they’ve learned, their own skill, their own style. Villaverde contacted Julian Morales to see if he could help show her dancers beginning breakdance and some freestyle tips. He attended several classes and the dancers began learning a lot from him.
“I also had a former dancer of mine, Andrea Silvas, make our hip-hop mix for our performance,” Villaverde added. “I used to teach folklorico and hip-hop dance to Andrea when she was young. She performed at a couple of Mercury games, back when I took my group back in early 2000s. Now, her own mix would be playing throughout Footprint Arena for the next generation of SDC hip-hop dancers.”
On the day of their Hip-Hop Pregame performance of the Mercury vs. Fever game, they took group pictures outside and the energy was electric! Once the dancers took the floor and the music came on, the arena erupted in cheers, whistles, and roars!
Superior Dance Company represented not just for Superior, but all our surrounding towns.
“Everyone was complimenting my dancers on a job well done,” Villaverde said. “One dancer, who wants to dance like Usher when he grows up, asked if they were making all of that noise for him. I said you have so many fans now, Usher is going to want to dance like you! He was so happy and seeing my dancers happy, makes me happy. All my dancers performed their hearts out and the crowd loved it. They couldn’t believe they were on the jumbotron, too!”
The Suns rep contacted Villaverde afterwards and extended an invitation to a Suns Group Appreciation Event to show how much they enjoyed having the Superior Dance Company and look forward to seeing their next performance, a baile folklorico one, this upcoming Suns season.
The next folklorico performance will be at the upcoming Prickly Pear Festival in Superior on Aug. 24 at 6 p.m. at Besich Park.
The next hip-hop performance will be at the Superior Car & Fiesta Show on Sept. 14 at 2 p.m. They will also be performing Baile Folklorico at the St. Francis of Assisi Church stage at 6 p.m. to celebrate this year’s Fiestas.
Come out and show your support for these amazing little dancers; they just might give you the inspiration to get up and show your own freestyle.