(Secaucus, NJ––October 13, 2021) High Tech High School alum Raechelle Manalo (class of 2016) has been invited to join the Paul Taylor Dance Company in New York City, announced Ms. Kathy Young, Principal of High Tech High School.
Raechelle’s journey began at HTHS, where she majored in dance with instructor Trista DeFilippis. As a part of the district’s work-based learning program––a formalized internship for students to earn career skills in their chosen vocational area––Raechelle was able to audition for the Paul Taylor Teen Ensemble during her high school years. This ultimately prepared Raechelle to earn a Bachelor’s of Fine Arts from SUNY Purchase before starting her dance career in Chicago and New York City, where she was recently invited to join the Paul Taylor Dance Company.
Paul Taylor Dance Company began in New York City in 1954, when Mr. Taylor first began presenting his choreography. Since then, the Paul Taylor Dance Company has become one of the premier names in the world of modern dance, with performances ranging “from rural stages to the greatest opera houses of the world.”
Of her former student, Ms. DeFilippis said, “I knew her time would come. I am elated that she is now a company member––she is so deserving of this amazing opportunity to travel the world doing what she absolutely loves.”
You can learn more about the Paul Taylor Dance Company at this link, and you can learn more about the dance program at High Tech by visiting this link.
