Really big show planned for winter dance production Largest-ever freshman class allowing for expanded production BY SANDI CARPELLO Staff Writer The Red Bank Regional High School’s dance class rehearses for their student-choreographed winter performance. RED BANK — Red Bank Regional High School’s dance program commands a crowd every holiday season when they perform their annual production of "Dancing in a Winter Wonderland." But this year, the high school’s Visual and Performing Arts Academy will entertain their largest audience ever. More than 450 Monmouth County students from four school districts plan to attend a special afternoon performance on Dec. 18. The dancers also expect a big turnout for their Dec. 19 performance, which is open to the public. "This year’s show is a big deal," said Jess Smith, a senior in the dance program. "Normally, we don’t take the time to put together such a big production, but there is a lot of talent in the freshman class this year." In the past few years, Red Bank Regional’s dance program has grown substantially, according to high school dance director Dorian Murray. "We started with 12 students in the program and now we have about 60. … We have 39 students in our freshman class and that’s the biggest class we’ve ever had. … Every year, we have more and more people coming to the audition." In addition, the RBR dancers, who once rehearsed in a small dilapidated classroom, now practice their three-hour-a-day regimen in a state-of-the-art studio with brand new floors, high ceilings, and classroom space. "It’s three times the size of our old classroom," Murray said. "Dancing in a Winter Wonderland" has some 20 dance numbers, which were choreographed by the students themselves. The dances are set to holiday favorites like "Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree" and Tchaikovsky’s "Waltz of the Flowers." Kali Drake and Cara France, two sophomores who were selected to choreograph a corps number set to Faith Hill’s "Where Are You, Christmas?," said their dance tells the story of a girl who is searching for Christmas. The public is invited to the Dec. 19, 7:30 p.m. performance. Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for children.