While most high school students are anticipating annual year-end activities such as finals, prom and graduation, Chartiers Valley dance students had the school Showcase on their very full plates.

"The kids love it," says CV dance teacher Cathy Jenkins. "They look forward to it all year."

She isn't kidding and neither are the students. While there are several suburban high school dance programs in the state, none sports an event like this, featuring 160 students strutting their stuff, from beginners through advanced, for two evenings in the spring. And it's part of the curriculum, which means each student receives a grade for his or her performance.

Also included on this year's Showcase performances, which took place May 13- 14, were 20 dance production numbers, complete with costumes and full lighting, plus encore highlights from the high school musical, "Seussical," and a scene from the CV drama class. The Showcase also serves as a platform to award a performing arts scholarship, funded by Pittsburgh developer and CV graduate Tony Williams. The winner of the scholarship, named the Chartiers Valley Creative and Performing Arts Award, was student technical director John Forton.

When Ms. Jenkins arrived at the school in 1996, two levels of dance were being taught. Now there are eight classes divided into four levels that meet five days a week, plus one period devoted to the Chartiers Valley Dance Troupe, which includes members of the school musical, majorettes and drill team.

Ms. Jenkins explains that the focus of the Dance Troupe changes throughout the year. After a football halftime show, a gala performance at the University of Pittsburgh, a winter program and then a basketball show, the emphasis turns to the musical and Showcase in the spring. Most of the students are involved in more than one of those activities, but if not, they still do technique and learn the routines. In addition, the Dance Troupe members have two after-school rehearsals per week.

While Ms. Jenkins is full-time, she is now assisted by part-time teacher Kim Scalise McVay. Both graduated from the University of Pittsburgh with degrees in physical education and minors in dance under Susan Gillis-Kruman.

"It allowed me to explore the arts further," says Ms. Jenkins. "I learned to express a thought, an idea, a story. Learning different styles built my confidence."

That also explains the instructors' status in the school district as physical education teachers. Students in the ninth and 10th grades must take swimming, with dance as an elective. They can substitute dance for the physical education credit in their junior and senior years. With only 1,200 students at Chartiers Valley, that means that nearly 15 percent of the student population choose that option.

The school district takes the performing arts seriously; it added a whole new wing to the high school in 2001, housing band, orchestra and chorus as well.

"Our students who take the arts tend to be the students who excel not only creatively, but also academically," Dr. Amy Wodnicki, assistant principal, says. "It adds enrichment to the curriculum."

While that doesn't mean that those students won't drop out of high school or necessarily have the highest test scores, Dr. Wodnicki firmly believes that "it's certainly an indicator of what makes a good school. Generally speaking, those who have outstanding schools have really strong fine arts programs."

She feels that those students who study dance get a "boost to their self-confidence. That's not something you generally can measure, but it's something you can see.

"It allows them to build their group skills so that they feel they can fit in -- high school's a hard time. Because they find that success and a way to express themselves during the school day, it makes so many other things come easier."

Dr. Wodnicki speaks from experience. Her daughter, Kelly, enjoyed her years in Ms. Jenkins' program.

Now a whole new group of teens is moving through and their enthusiasm is apparent. Freshman Desiree Hajnos auditioned in March 2009 for a spot in the dance classes and came in on Level 2. She figured that, after 12 years of studying dance at a local studio, she "had a talent that I'd like to share in school." Although Ms. Hajnos spent most of her first year adapting to a different style of dance -- "different in good ways" -- she's looking forward to dancing through to her senior year.

Andrea Fisher did just that and was senior dance captain this year, which meant that she was tapped to choreograph one of the Showcase routines, "Viva la Vida." Despite the fact that the Dance Troupe was "time-consuming," she made the commitment, which she says paid off in improving her leadership skills and sense of responsibility. When she matriculates to Xavier University next year to pursue a career in the medical field, Ms. Fisher hopes to continue dancing, her absolute "favorite thing to do."

Then there's Connor McRory, a triple threat when it comes to the stage. He began dancing at age 5 and is now a student at the Civic Light Opera Academy, where he studies not only dance, but voice and acting.

"I always wanted to perform," says the CV junior, who plans to study musical theater in college.

He credits dance with helping him get to know his body and the comfort zone that he can reach on stage, no matter what he's doing. And as for being the only male most of the time? "Ever since I started dance classes, I've been the only guy, so it doesn't bother me," Mr. McRory says. "People you don't know might want to make fun of you, but so many other people have supported me through all of this. It's all I ever wanted to do."

Ms. Jenkins is, of course, proud of all of her students. If anything, she wants them "to learn to have a passion for the arts, to appreciate the arts and to experience what it is like to be in a performance."

And dance through life, no matter what career they choose.

First Published: June 2, 2010, 8:00 a.m.