Here at Santiago High School, we have numerous amazing performance teams, including dance, cheer, color guard, and Hip-Hop. Due to the new addition of coaches, this year may have seen some new faces in the Hip-Hop department. Santiago has been very fortunate to receive two new head coaches for our Hip-Hop team.
Who?
First up, Coach Cameron Woods is 19 and was a fellow Santiago student a few years back. She was previously captain of the Santiago Hip Hop team and has 12 years of dance experience and about 8 years of competitive dancing experience. After high school, she danced briefly at the University of Nevada Las Vegas Dance, since leaving she now currently teaches at a dance studio located in Corona named Captivate Dance Academy and of course coaches the Santiago hip-hop team. She teaches many different styles, including hip hop, cardio hip hop, and Heeling. 
Additionally, Ashley Urbina is the next new addition to our Santiago coaching staff. She has been dancing since she was 4 years old, competing since she was 6, and started teaching her own dance classes at 16. She has been teaching competitive dance for many years and currently teaches at Inspire Dance Complex. She knows various styles of dance but currently teaches solely Hip Hop. 
Interviews:
I was fortunate enough to interview our new coaches and get to know them better!
What are your main goals for this school year?
Woods: “My main goal for this year is to really put on something great for the audience. Just because this is a year I’m coming back after being on the team, I really want to put my experience forth for this team and just put on great performances.”
Urbina: “ My main goal for this school year is to train these kids, help them grow into better dancers and ultimately go to competitions and kick butt.”
What made you decide to coach our Santiago Hip Hop team?
Woods: “Throughout my high school (experience), I was on the hip hop team, and senior year I was captain, but we did not have a coach that year, so I kinda had to step up in that role, So I wanted to use that experience and my knowledge to this team and bring it on to this new year.’
Urbina: “I’m a dance choreographer. That’s what I do full-time, so branching out into different spectrums of that, like working in a High school instead of a studio, is something I really love to do. I gravitate towards teenagers really well, they relate to me I relate to them. And it was available to me by word of mouth.”
What are you most looking forward to this year as a coach?
Woods: “I think I’m most looking forward to seeing the growth in everybody and seeing everyone’s next steps in the future; I love seeing people thrive and succeed in life.”
Urbina “ Probably competitions if I’m being honest, I’m a super competitive person so I can’t wait to see what other routines are out there and what we’re gonna be up against.”
What have been your favorite things so far: hoco, rallies, games?
Woods: “I think so far it’s definitely been the homecoming game. I think the vibes were really good, and I also really enjoyed the rally.”
Urbina: “Probably the games, the games are so much fun because they bring like so much nostalgia.”
What would you say to any Santiago student who one day aspires to join the team?
Woods: “I would say definitely start to get training. Take hip hop classes, and take classes in other styles as well. Those will really help you grow as a dancer in every style because they’re all connected, and it will help you with hip hop.”
Urbina: “I would tell them to start practicing like yesterday and to take a dance class or two. And maybe try to get experience without being on the team, like going to hip hop 1, which they have available at the school. Make friends with somebody already on the team so you can know what expectations there are for being on the team and what’s expected of you.”
It was such an amazing experience to be able to interview our new coaches, and as a member of the Santiago hip-hop team I can say with confidence that Coach Ashley and Coach Woods are amazing coaches and I am so excited to see where they take us throughout the year.
