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Iris Li may be one of Cambridge Network’s newer students, but only three months into her first year at Ramona Convent Secondary School, she’s already thriving. A junior, Iris has quickly adapted to her new home in Alhambra, CA, located just outside of Los Angeles, and learned how to balance her academic life with her passion for dance. Having studied traditional Chinese dance since she was 4-years-old, Iris is now pursuing her newfound love for hip-hop dance.
As the entertainment center of the world, L.A. is the perfect place to do just that. Home to some of the best dance studios in the country, it’s an ideal match for Iris and something she has already taken full advantage of. This September, Iris took classes at The Kinjaz Dojo and got the chance to learn from members of the world-renowned American Dance crew of the same name, who were featured on MTV’s America’s Best Dance Crew and recognized by the World of Dance Awards and World Choreography Awards.
Later that month, Iris saw a post about auditions for The Lab of Creative Arts Studio, a dance crew whose many accomplishments include winning NBC’s World of Dance Season 2, being featured on The Ellen Show and Justin Bieber ‘s Purpose Tour, and working with artists like Nicki Minaj and Rihanna. After consulting with her Cambridge Network host mother, Jessica, who encouraged her to try out, Iris took part in the three-hour audition process where she was asked to learn brand new choreography along with over 100 other dancers. Candidates were then divided into smaller groups to perform the choreography in front of judges, which included members of the dance crew.
Iris recalls the exhilaration of the process (“I was nervous at first, but I was excited when I found out I got accepted into the team”) and credits her host mother for her unwavering support (“Jessica encouraged me to try out for The Lab when I first heard about the audition …. She has been supportive of my decision to become involved with The Lab.”)
Iris now practices at least 10 hours a week on top of rehearsals, but she hasn’t had much difficulty juggling her busy schedule. She attributes this to keeping her priorities straight by finishing her schoolwork in the library before going to dance each day.
But Iris began to worry once she saw that her dance schedule might conflict with her host mother’s work. She told her Cambridge Network Student Development Manager (SDM), April, who offered to drive her to some of her practices each week. This opportunity has allowed them to build a strong relationship, with Iris often discussing her passion for dance. April also works closely with Iris to mentor her academic journey and personal growth while Iris has promised to help April improve her dance skills. Iris is looking forward to making new friends through her new dance group and excited for her first performance with The Lab in December.
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