Five, six, seven, eight! Go! Go! Go! Spin, drop, arms! This was all the Ramaz Dance Team heard for months until they perfected their New York themed dance for Rikudiah 2022. Pressure was high this year for captains and first year coach Haley Greene, but with endless practices and exceptional team effort, they managed to pull it off. 

Taking on the lead role as a lost tourist trying to find her way through the Big Apple, Rebecca Silber ’23 was found helpless by two Ramaz girls, Lani Kahn ’23 and Shira Shasha ’23. In an effort to help the pitiful tourist find her way through the city, the Ramaz girls introduced her to groups of street dancers, business women, and glamorous rockettes. Each group of dancers brought their energy to the stage and gave a flawless performance, depicting how these groups are truly represented throughout the City.

Nerves were high as the competition began and after what seemed like hundreds of other performances, Ramaz was up. The music began and it was time to show the audience how much dedication and hard work went into the dance. With smiles on their faces and well coordinated moves, the dance team managed to get the entire crowd on their feet. They radiated positive energy throughout the entire auditorium, leaving the audience with unforgettable feelings of warmth and joy. 

Beyond performing, many of the girls on the team believed that it was our Ramaz pride that made us bring the first place trophy home. Alisa Gleyzer ’23 said that “We were able to convey school pride, as well as having a story that was told from start to finish”. In addition to this, it was the team’s spirit and effort that really pulled it all together. “Though it can be a bit anxiety provoking, I love that we were able to come together as a team and show our dance and skills to everyone,” said Gleyzer ’23.         

Many will agree that their win wasn’t out of pure luck, but was rather a result of the hard work that went into it. Raquel Dahan ’24 said “The most challenging part of it all was the extra long practices and memorizing all the steps especially with our hectic test schedules.” Nevertheless, winning first place made it all worth it. “It was the most unbelievable feeling in the entire world. I’m still in shock,” said Dahan ’24. 

Once it was time to announce the winners the room went quiet and silent prayers were whispered among the entire auditorium. The third place winners were announced, followed by the second place winners, and when almost all hope was lost, the judges finally announced that “for the first time ever, our first place winners are Ramaz!” Filled with adrenaline, shock, and pure happiness, all the girls jumped up screaming on the top of their lungs. Dahan ’24 said “We put in the time and effort and felt our characters to our full potential. Ultimately, our positive energy reached out to the judges which put us in first place.” 

This year Hayley Greene coached the dance team for the first time and was able to put this all together. She pushed the girls to their full potential and knew that all the hard work would inevitably pay off. She organized all the choreography and gave each girl the opportunity to show what they could do. She demonstrated each part of New York, and taught each and every one of us what it means to be a team. 

Shoutout to all the girls: Talia Berman ’23, Claudia Dicker ’23, Alisa Gleyzer ’23, Lani Kahn ’23, Shira Shasha ’23, Rebecca Silber ’23, Noya Berrebi ’24, Raquel Dahan ’24, Adi Erdan ’24, Serena Zarfati ’24, Linor Azizan ’25, Tamar Romano ’26, and Hannah Weisberg ’26. And of course shoutout to the amazing coach, Hayley Greene. Congratulations to the girls dance team for winning Rikudiah 2022!