STEVENSVILLE — (November 2, 2022) — Kent Island High senior Allison Corbin can usually be found crouched down behind home plate, just waiting for the ball to smack her leather glove to the sweet sound of “Strike, you’re out!” But, according to Amber Wright, Dance teacher at KIHS, for the last three years you could also find Allison dancing to other sweet sounds of music in Ms. Wright’s Dance program.
Initially, Allison took an Athletic Movement class with Ms. Wright sophomore year because she thought it would be fun and needed a fine arts credit. The semester Allison enrolled, however, Athletic Movement was only offered virtually due to the pandemic.
Although students were home, they were still expected to move and perform for one another throughout the semester and perform in the virtual winter concert. Allison and her peers virtually performed in a mash-up of various artists’ songs.
“Performing in front of people caused me to do something out of my comfort zone,” shared Allison. “I liked it so much that I signed up for Aerobics next, because I wanted to see what it would feel like to perform in front of a live audience on the stage. Allison’s mother, Jen Corbin, said the first word that popped into her head when she saw Allison perform on stage for the first time was ‘amazing’! “Allison seemed to fit right in on stage even though she had never danced before. I loved that she was having so much fun!” Mrs. Corbin added, “I also like how Ms. Wright taught the classes.”
“I was over the moon when I saw that Allison had signed up for Aerobics after taking my Athletic Movement class,” said Wright. “I was excited to have another opportunity to work with her, but this time in person. When I saw how well she began doing in Aerobics, I asked her if she would consider signing up for Dance I next…and she did!”
According to Wright, Allison took the classes in the order they should be taken for Athletes. While Dance I is a beginners dance class for most students, because Allison had taken Athletic Movement and Aerobics prior, it was a smooth transition going from taking Athletic Movement to learning Dance techniques. When Allison confidently shared with her mother that she was taking Dance I this year, her mother was shocked because Allison never danced before!
“I always want to support my kids in whatever they want to do, and taking these courses with Ms. Wright has built on Allison’s strong athletic skills.”
Allison adds, “Dance I allows me to try new things and to be with friends, not to mention another cool class with Ms. Wright!”
Allison plans to attend the University of North Carolina Wilmington as a freshman in the fall of 2023. She will be the catcher on the softball team. At UNCW, she will use the invaluable movement skills she has learned in the QACPS Performing Arts classes. Allison says it’s improved her flexibility and mobility the most. Wright agrees with Allison and claims, “Athletic Movement and Aerobics classes increase flexibility, mobility, agility, strength, endurance, and rhythm, to name a few.”
We look forward to following Allison Corbin’s outstanding future ahead, from the softball field, in the dirt and behind her catcher’s mask, to the dancer spreading her wings under the bright stage lights of Ms. Wright’s dance studio.
Allison also wanted to share a message with other athletes at KIHS: “If you haven’t taken Ms. Wright’s classes and are serious about learning, then you should. Taking these classes allows you to have fun and show emotion without being judged. It is the one place you get to be creative and BE YOU!”
Allison’s attitude, drive, and openness to try new courses outside of her comfort zone to learn more about herself, not only as an athlete, but as a wonderful human being, perfectly captures the spirit of what being the QACPS Performing Arts “Teen of the Week” is all about. Ms. Wright, former QACPS Teacher of the Year, also epitomizes the spirit of great teaching, while also making her classes so fun!