Saint Francis School has the annual tradition of bringing together students to dance to great Hawaiian music. Working hard to get the dances down, each division practiced from the first day of school until September 15th. Many students are dancing in more than one dance for the show, so remembering them all can be stressful, especially for senior and Aloha Show Queen, Serena Lum. Juggling school work, volleyball, and having to remember three dances for Aloha Show can be a lot to take on, but she made it work.
The process of trying to remember her dances while dealing with everything else was very tough and difficult. Explaining how this process has been for her Serena says, “It has been very, very stressful and I’ve had breakdowns a lot. Being the queen is not as simple as it looks, other people watching you dance, the planning behind it, especially when you have to take care of the rest of the court. It’s very time consuming.” The pressure is overwhelming, but she still does everything she can to make sure her dances are perfect.
Hula isn’t the most important part of Serena’s life. Yet, it is still something she enjoys. Serena danced in her first Aloha Show as a freshman. In preparation, she has also used to practice hula outside of school.
Serena reflects on her years in the Aloha Show by saying, “I’ve always participated in Aloha Show because it’s definitely fun.” Taking part in something like this is a big commitment, but to Serena, it’s worth it. She will forever have great memories as the queen of the court, doing something that made her feel amazing, that she loved, bringing joy to her and many others.
