By:Anthony Rifilato
Another student, who sat by herself at the front of the class, timidly asked Sevilla if she could explain the lesson to her in Spanish because her English is limited, to which Sevilla reassured the young woman that she would. The students, most of whom have never taken formal dance classes, were continuing to learn African dance, and last week, were being introduced to a traditional Haitian dance.
And once the beats and drumming reverberated, the girls were in full rhythm, gyrating their bodies and undulating their arms in complex and graceful dance moves that were as animated as they were formal.
"I want them to let go and have fun," said Sevilla, who at 32, resembles the actress Jennifer Beals.
"You want to do that snake movement," Sevilla instructed her students, as some kept their eyes on her lithe body, mimicking her movements. "Good, you guys got this quick."
While she has taught the girls ballet, jazz and other forms of dance, as well as yoga and pilates during the full-year elective, today Sevilla was elated to begin demonstrating Afro-Caribbean dances, one of her favorite forms of expression which not only provides health benefits, she said, but sheds light on a unique culture.
"I'm fascinated by the theatrics of it," she said. "I feel when it comes to breaking down those barriers, I help create an open environment."
After only three years of teaching dance in Baldwin, Sevilla's growing reputation and love of the art form has earned her the title of 2004 Dance Education Teacher of the Year by the New York State Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (NYSAHPERD).
"When I received the nomination I was like, wow," Sevilla said. "It was a cool thing."
This week, Sevilla is giving a dance presentation at Hofstra University, where she will receive her award. "I'm bringing some students and they're going to help me," Sevilla said.
Sevilla came to Baldwin four years ago as a physical education teacher with a B.A. from Queens College. When the school wanted to create a dance program, Sevilla was the first person they turned to due to her extensive experience. "It was a strength for me," she said.
That strength comes from a largely self-educated background, having taken dance classes, workshops and conventions throughout New York City.
Sevilla also who grew up in a Puerto Rican household where vibrant Latin dances and music were the norm. "My parents were the ones who put me in the middle of a circle and clapped," Sevilla said.
She knew at a young age that she wanted to learn what was beyond her cultural heritage. "I took dance in high school but only two years of technical dance," she said. "In terms of ethnic dance, I did it all on my own."
In the past, Sevilla, a Queens native, has also taught dance at South Shore High School in Brooklyn. "That's when I realized I'm good at this," Sevilla said. "They saw that I was patient with non-dancers."
It's a patience and creative environment that her students harped on last week.
"You get to not only dance but learn about the culture," said Lashel McCarthy, a sophomore who also sings in the concert choir. "She's always encouraging us to go ahead and do different things."
Although students have the opportunity to choose from two dance electives and have the chance to perform at the Tilles Center Dance Conference, Sevilla said that in the future, she hopes to produce a show for her dance students, so they can showcase their talents.
"I would like a performing dance class," she said, explaining that the focus would be on choreography and rehearsal.
In the meantime, Sevilla arranges trips for her students, and this week she is taking a group of 25 kids to see the musical, "Fame," on Broadway. Before the show, her students will meet with one of the performers for an exclusive workshop where they will learn some of the routines.
"That's the fun part," Sevilla said. "We did that with 'Contact' [the musical] as well."
Sevilla tries to experiment with different types of dances, and draws from the culturally diverse group of students who have taken her class, from a Turkish student who already knew how to belly dance, to students who came in traditional African dress and demonstrated their cultural dances.
"That's how I learn," Sevilla said. "[Students] can teach you more than you think."
