Pascack Valley High School’s annual Valentine’s Day Talent Night took place on Thursday, Feb. 12, in the cafeteria. From singing and instrumental acts to a high-energy dance number, the night showcased a wide range of talent. But, while the performances look effortless on stage, weeks of preparation went into making the show a success.
Senior Anna Stern, President of the Choir Board, took part in organizing and running the event.
“This is my sixth talent night that I’ve helped plan and [the] fourth talent night that I’ve run,” Stern said. “We host auditions,…we create the program, and create the order [of the show].”
Preparations began far before the February performance, with auditions beginning in mid-January. This year, performers submitted video auditions rather than auditioning live.
“We’ve never really had to cut anyone… The only reason why we would cut an act is if someone’s performing more than one thing, and we need to cut down the program,” Stern explained.
Along with her role of organizer, Stern also performed in a piano/vocal duet to “Wondering” from “High School Musical: The Musical: The Series,” marking her first time playing piano and singing simultaneously at a talent night.
“I’ve been learning the piece since the beginning of January,” Stern said. “This is something totally different and new.”
And while vocalists filled up much of the lineup, seniors Alexi Gatmaitan and Braydon Ottomanelli brought something fresh to the stage: a partner dance they choreographed themselves.
The duo has experience crafting choreography, but it’s still no easy feat.
“The first time we choreographed a dance, it took us actually like a month or two,” Gatmaitan said. “A big challenge is aligning our schedules with each other.”
For this year’s performance, the pair reused a previously choreographed piece that took about a month to create. However, adjustments were necessary to make the dance ready, especially since they found out the show would take place in the cafeteria rather than the auditorium.
“The floors are slippery, and we can’t do what we’re usually able to do just because of how it’s kind of dangerous to dance here,” Ottomanelli noted.
The pair described the choreography process as “trial and error”, often spending minutes in silence thinking about transitions before working through new ideas. And while stylistic differences sometimes arise, honesty always comes through.
“One of us tries to move, and we see like, ‘Does this work?’” Gatmaitan said. “And then, we could be honest… like, ‘Oh no, that’s just not working.’”
For both performers and organizers, Valentine’s Talent Night represents more than just a show: it is the product of weeks and sometimes months of dedication and practice. From auditions to rehearsals to long choreography sessions, each act showcases Pascack Valley’s immense talent.
“Go for it! It’s a high school talent show, live your life,” Gatmaitan said, encouraging students to take a risk performing and make memories by performing in the show.
