By Iman Bakhit
Staff Writer
Talented high schoolers from across South Bay took to the stage to showcase their talents in visual and performing arts.
Freedom4u, a non-profit organization based in Redondo Beach, presented Arts Expression Night on October 25 at the Clark Building in Hermosa Beach. Freedom4u offers peer-driven healthy activities to unlock the many talents and potentials in youth and channel them into visual and performing arts. South Bay high schoolers’ performed live included music, hip-hop, live art, film showings, songs, and photography.
“Arts Expression Night is to get kids interested in art,” Christy Jimenez, Palos Verdes high school art chairman said.“People consider art as just drawing or painting on a canva, it’s music and film is an example of art, too.”
Jimenez is also running the Freedom4U photography contest. Four professional judges from all over the world judge the pictures based on their message, theme and style. Jimenez encourages Costa students to enter.
“There are only about one or two kids from Costa who enter our contest and we strongly wish for more,” Jimenez said. “Since I work at Palos Verdes High, I push my students to enter, but it would be great to have more submissions from other schools.”
Six students sat down in front of canvases for a live art presentation of their talents in painting and drawing. The artists ranged from freshmen to seniors, each with various styles in their work. One of the live art presenters, Bridget Sheridan, a Redondo Union High senior, draws photorealism.
“I do a lot of work with hands as the main idea, because it just shows the basics, when everything was made by hand instead of technology,” Sheridan said.
Bridget has won countless awards for her talent, ranging from the State of California, South Bay, and Manhattan Beach. She is currently entering a national contest.
“I just want to show the hard work that is put in the making of anything. Just looking at the hands creating or doing something, doesn’t show the amount of effort put into their action,” Sheridan said.
Mira Costa was represented by two teens, Elizabeth King and Amber Manley. They both sang popular pop songs while playing instruments such as the guitar and electric piano on stage where most of the audience’s attention was held.
Elizabeth King sang while playing many songs on her guitar such as Cough Syrup by Coldplay and her very own acapella remixes of the House of the Rising Sun and Feeling Good.
“I’ve been singing for two years and playing the guitar for one,” King said. “I never had vocal or guitar lessons my family is just really musical.”
In the future, she plans on becoming a professional jazz singer. King has also tried out for The Voice and has made it to the final round, and plans on trying out again later on.
“I mean my ultimate goal is to become a professional jazz singer, but many people also dream about this, so there will be some competition,” King said.
“These girls brought an interesting take on the hit songs,” Attendee, Victoria William, said. “I really enjoyed it”.
The rest of the night featured Palos Verdes’ Co-ed Choreo and Redondo’s Hip Hop dance teams, dancing to remixes of hit hip hop beats. The audience was cheering for both teams, and the night concluded with applause and amusement.
“I got to see so many talented young people,” William said. “What a great way to show them off to local residents!”
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