Students at Pleasant Valley High have an array of talents, such as music, singing, dancing, and acting. As a way to celebrate these talents, PV hosted its 2nd annual Viking’s Got Talent the Friday of February 27th. There were a total of 17 acts, and each was a spectacle to see.
The very first performance was from Pleasant Valley’s very own Theater Department, and they sang and danced to the song “Dancing Queen” from Mamma Mia by ABBA. The play had quite a transition, starting dark and simple to later revealing a complex and elaborate performance, and a great one to set the stage for the next acts.
Tatum Hunter, a junior at Pleasant Valley, was the first single performance and the first guitar performance, and what a great one it was. Tatum played “Cherry Wine” by Hozier, and with just a stool and her guitar, she captivated the audience with her immense experience and skill.
Neopolitan was the first band of the show, and they played Black Sheep by Metric. The band consisted of Nick Sorrells, Kiki Vierra, EJ Hernandez, Henry Callahan, and Riley Cain. The chemistry between the band members was very noticeable, and the band added deep emotion and meaning behind their performance.
Vivian Emmons did a single performance of singing “Oscar Winning Tears” by RAYE, and it was one of the most unexpected performances in the entire show. With a rocky start due to some technical difficulties, Vivian had to completely restart, and still managed to silence the whole theater within seconds. She showed amazing emotion, and vocals that were perfect for the song.
The next act was a play that managed to humor the whole audience. A trio of Dane Chambers, Julia Peterson, and Taylor Schulken danced to the song “Canned Heat” by Jamiroquai, reenacting the scene from the movie Napoleon Dynamite. This act was arguably the most humorous of them all, giving the audience a lighthearted yet skillful performance, and staying in character throughout the entire performance, even with their exit.
Arthur Tuman chose to play the theme song to the award-winning movie Interstellar, which he also self-taught himself. Arthur was feeling quite confident before the performance, and it showed. He was calm and collected, with little to no self-doubt throughout the entire performance. He masterfully played the entire song without any technological assistance, and it was a play to be remembered.
Zoey Mylan decided to play the ukulele to the song “All I’m Asking For” which is a song she wrote herself. She started a bit rocky, then confidently restarted, telling the audience to “pretend that didn’t happen” which got a positive reaction and drew cheers from the audience. Zoey then began to play her very own song to the point of perfection, with no other mistakes. All in all this was probably the biggest turn-around in any performance at the show.
Charlie Ansorge is a PV junior who sang “Pure as the Driven Snow” from A Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. With a high range of vocals and a deep, emotional song, her singing sounded almost angelic, and it showed the years of practice she must have put in to get to such a level.
Dean Sanderson and Nicholas Sorrells played a duo of “Lonely Day” by System Of A Down. Dean and Nicolas seemed as if they went out there to have fun, and managed to put on one of the best performances in the show. Dean’s singing and guitar skills managed to captivate the song perfectly, with Nicolas tying the song together completely with his drum performance. They also had one of the best exits, with Nicolas rolling off to the side of the stage.
Rebekah Sem and Lucy Vo had an incredible performance, with a very unique twist. Rebekah sang “She Used to Be Mine” by Sara Bareilles, and she used amazing vocals and emotions to portray such a somber song in the most perfect way. Along with this performance, Lucy Vo designed a short animation that pairs with the song in synchrony, allowing the audience to experience the song with their eyes as well as with their ears.
Mary From Tennessee was the only other band to play at this year’s talent show, and was one to be remembered. Playing “Loveshack” by the B-52s, this band drew much morale and many reactions from the crowd, with people singing along and cheering for the band. This show was just as enjoyable to watch as it was to partake in, which is a unique and great feeling to get from a show.
Oliver Lois is a PV senior who sang “Memory” from the musical Cats by Andrew Webber. Oliver did an amazing job performing the high pitches and opera-like style, and got lots of support from members of the crowd.
Ryan Vang, Kierra Haughton, and Azul Ocana Cardenas were a dancing trio, and only one of two dancing acts in the entire show. This group managed to keep up with a synchronized high paced dance act that was hard for anyone to follow, and showed great dedication and memorization.
Autumn Riley is a singer and guitarist who played “Thoughts Flood Back to You” by Amble. Autumn did an amazing job playing the guitar while singing an array of vocals in her song, showing true skill and dedication in her performance.
Katelyn Sheridan was the second of two dancers to partake in the talent show, and was a complete 180 from the last. Instead of a fast-paced act, Katelyn performed interpretive dancing with a slow emotional song, with each action she took having greater meaning. She put her heart and soul into her act, and in return enacted one of the most unique performances in the show.
Bell Leffler is a performer who recreated the beginning of the book The Outsiders, acting as Ponyboy. The Outsiders was a very memorable book to most students who have read it in the past, and it is certain many enjoyed watching this scene once more from a new perspective.
Emma Lopez captivated the audience as she serenaded them with “Die On This Hill” by Sienna Spiro, pairing clear, quiet confidence with dedicated talent and impressing each and every listener in the crowd with her wide range of vocals and breath control.
Anna Diaz performed a karate demonstration to “You Belong With Me” by Taylor Swift. As a black belt in karate, Anna had much skill and experience in her act, using a staff to perform a series of attacks in all directions. This performance was a nice twist, and a good act leading up into the end of the show.
The final act of this year’s Talent show was done by Jenna Cox, a singer and guitarist who played “Deja Vu” by Olivia Rodrigo. A well known and popular song like this was one the whole audience was able to connect with and enjoy, and Jenna put on an amazing performance, one which definitely deserved to be the last act of Vikings Got Talent.
