Glendale News Press, CA
Jan 26 2008

Save the last dance for him

High school student struggled with his craft as a freshman, but now
he has his eye on Broadway.

By Angela Hokanson

In his freshman year of high school, Zareh Markarian was dragged to
Glendale High School’s dance studio by a friend, not at all sure that
he wanted to be part of the dance and drill team.

Zareh, now 17, had no formal dance training. But he was getting bored
with his other hobbies – swimming and playing musical instruments –
so with some encouragement from a friend who was already on the team,
and from head coach Kelly Palmer, he gave it a try.

Zareh’s lack of training showed, Palmer said. He didn’t know basic
things that more experienced dancers knew, such as what to do with
his arms. The other dancers didn’t have high expectations for Zareh.
He’d never be a team captain, and would never have a solo, they said.

`He didn’t care,’ Palmer said. `He just stood in front of that mirror
and did turns until he was blue in the face.’

Now a senior, Zareh is a co-captain of the award-winning dance and
drill team. In the last month his solo dance routine won first in two
dance competitions. And, Zareh said, he’s found his life’s work.

`There’s no way dancing is not going to be part of my future,’ Zareh
said at dance rehearsal Thursday. He is considering auditioning for
Broadway shows, becoming a choreographer, opening a dance studio or
becoming a coach like Palmer, Zareh said.

But for the next two months, Zareh will work to perfect his solo
routine for the dance team’s biggest competition of the year – the
United Spirit Assn. Nationals, which will be held in mid-March in
Anaheim.

As a member of the co-ed squad, Zareh will also help that team try to
win its 10th consecutive first place at the competition.
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Zareh’s solo routine is a lyrical dance to the Rob Thomas song `Ever
the Same.’ In mid-December, the routine won him first place in the
American Grand Championships competition in Las Vegas.

And last weekend, the same routine won first place in the `Mr.
California’ dance competition put on by Miss Dance Drill Team USA.

Zareh’s routine is accentuated with his trademark high leaps.

`Your dance has to reflect on the words of the song,’ Zareh said
about lyrical dancing.

His whole freshman year, Zareh just practiced, never being asked to
perform.

`I was a bad dancer,’ he said. `They just kept telling me to stick it
out.’

His junior year, he performed a solo routine in the Las Vegas
competition, but didn’t win anything.

`Losing made me practice, practice, practice,’ Zareh said. `I knew I
could do so much better.’

Zareh’s goal for the year is to place high at the nationals in March,
ideally in the top five, he said.

Now, not only does Zareh win, but the scores he receives from judges
are practically off the charts, Palmer said.

He’s strong and flexible, Palmer said, and he can do more turns than
any dance student she’s ever had.

Convincing his family that dancing was worth his time wasn’t easy at
first, Zareh said. His parents probably imagined him more as a
businessman than as a dancer, he said. But his family has gotten used
to his interest in dancing as they’ve watched him improve.

`He’s paved his own way,’ Principal Kathy Fundukian said.

`That’s what youth is about – figuring out for yourself who you are.’