Thirteen years ago, Daniela Zermeño, 19, danced in the first production of On the Verge: Annual Teen Choreographers’ Showcase at age 6 with her older siblings, Ryan and Monique, in a piece by Marisol Cabrera. She has performed in every showcase since.
It has been only in the past five years that Zermeño has choreographed for On the Verge on her own, creating flamenco and jazz dances for herself and her peers to perform.
The choreographers’ showcase is presented by the Santa Barbara Dance Alliance to nurture Future Choreographers of America. Pre-professional teens spend three months taking workshops on choreography, music, costumes and lighting for dance and work under the guidance of professional mentors. The students learn firsthand what it means to professionally produce a show.
Zermeño started dancing when she was just 4 years old, studying flamenco, hip hop, jazz and swing. She currently studies flamenco in Los Angeles with Briseyda Zarate and has performed with Roberto Amaral, Juan Talavera and others.
Zermeño has been teaching in her own dance studio, Fuego Gitaño, since age 12. Her student body has risen to 50, ranging from age 3 to adult. Five of her students have entered the Spirit of Fiesta competition in the past two years. Zermeño was the runner-up for the Senior Spirit of Fiesta in 2006 and 2008.
As a young leader, Zermeño has put in a tremendous number of community service hours with Old Spanish Days, the San Marcos Marquettes, the American Heart Association Heart Walk and Educational Outreach with the Santa Barbara Dance Alliance. The students at her studio have performed more than eight times at local elementary and junior high schools. This past year, she taught for Everybody Dance Now, a youth-created project committed to teaching dance to more than 250 underserved 8- to 12-year-olds.
She has been a vital part of the San Marcos High School Marquettes Varsity Performing Team and held the title of varsity captain for two years. She won the 2006 King of the Bleachers National Title in the Jazz Soloist division in Long Beach. Upon graduating in 2007, she was invited to coach for the Junior Varsity Marquette Team, the high school dance, hip hop and pom teams. She accepted the position and also serves as assistant coach for the La Colina Junior High Emeralds Performing Team.
Zermeño is taking business classes at Santa Barbara City College while working with the Marquettes, the Emeralds, teaching her flamenco classes and choreographing her final piece for On the Verge. “I am not going to quit my job to go full time to school to get a degree in what I am doing already,” she says.
Her ambition, diligence and principled work have made her a leader among her peers. The Santa Barbara Dance Alliance honored her as Teen of the Year and is nominating her for the 2008 Santa Barbara Youth Leadership award.
The On The Verge showcase will be at 8 p.m. Saturday at the Marjorie Luke Theatre. Ticket prices are $15 for general admission, $12 for dance alliance members, $10 for students and seniors, and $50 for patrons. Tickets are available through the Santa Barbara Dance Alliance at www.sbdancealliance.org or 805.966.6950.
Julie McLeod represents the Santa Barbara Dance Alliance.