Willy Wonka and the Dance Conservatory Fundraiser

Story and photographs by Alex Del Cueto

On Oct. 4 and 5, the dance conservatory class of 2025 held a 45-minute original dance musical as a fundraiser for their upcoming senior showcases. The money from the fundraiser will be used to cover all expenses for their shows, such as choreographers, costumes, photography and videography.

"We came together as a group and voted on a theme and one of the top voted themes was Willy Wonka,” said senior Libiya Gray. “We knew there were so many different versions of Willy Wonka and so many directions we could take it.”

The show is a reimagining of  “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory” if it was also hosted by Steve Harvey.

The show incorporated different versions of Wonka, including 'Nasty', 'TikTok', 'Recess' and 'Singing' Wonka.

“It was brought to my attention that I’d be playing Nasty Wonka, because of my personality I guess,” said senior Destin Morisset. “I enjoyed it a lot, I got my own section with the lap dance.”

The show was a series of six dances of varying styles, choreographed by seniors, and featured dance majors from all grade levels. The company performed to a nearly full audience on both nights and raised over $900 across both days. 

Steven Harvey, played by Kouryan Wiggins and Mia Torres opened the show explaining how the golden ticket works in the story of "Willy Wonka and The Chocolate Factory."

The first piece of the performance was a contemporary dance embodying the golden ticket.

From left to right: TikTok Wonka (Maya Podejma), Augusta Gloop (Jasmine Alisca), Nasty Wonka (Destin Morisset), and Veruca Salt (Daphne Fitz). The Wonkas excitedly congratulated the golden ticket holders and Augusta Gloop waved her ticket in the air.

Nasty Wonka (Destin Morisset) gave a munchkin (Mia Shaughnessy) a lap dance prior to the second group number.

The munchkins performed a tap dance representing Augusta Gloop being taken by the chocolate river.

The opening scene from the acro number which represented the moments after Violet Beauregarde ate the everlasting gobstopper.

Violet Beauregarde (Niya Smith) turned into a blueberry towards the end of the acro number.

The munchkins hit poses at the beginning of the competition jazz number.

Recess Wonka (Christian Butts) in his solo moment of the competition jazz dance.

Soloist, Kristyn Price breaking during the Hip-Hop dance.

The squirrels that Wonka shows to Veruca within the factory prior to the sexy ballet section of the show.

Veruca is attacked by squirrels after trying to take one while “Squirrels in My Pants” from Phineas and Ferb start playing.

A small group of squirrels hits a final pose after the “sexy” portion of the sexy ballet.

Veruca lead the squirrels in the more traditional ballet dance with an attitude with arms fourth allongé.

Singing Wonka (Stephen Haley) standing in the aisle of the audience singing “Pure Imagination” from the original “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.”

The company danced together as the curtain closed on their final performance.