Making sure that they have all their gear — speakers, costumes and their dandiyas, the captains of MVHS Raas wake up and get ready for the day. Throughout the day, they practice and run through rehearsals. After a long and exhausting day, they pack up their cars full of the equipment they hauled over early in the morning and head home. This is the routine of MVHS Raas at every one of their many shows.
In Aug. 2014, Bhangra and Raas were cut as clubs because they didn’t have an advisor present at most of their practices, which is strictly against MVHS club policies. But after three years, MVHS Raas became a club on campus again.
Becoming a club at MVHS is not an easy task, as there are many qualifications that need to be met in order to be passed. Most importantly, every club needs an advisor.
The most difficult part of the process for Raas was finding an advisor who was willing to be present at all of their practices and shows. These lasted all day or at the very least, for several hours. Fortunately, Lynn Rose and Richelle Griffin agreed to be an advisor for Bhangra at the end of the last school year. Since Bhangra and Raas attend most shows together, the advisors agreed to advise Raas as well.
Now that they had advisors, MVHS Raas captains senior Aarushi Shah, senior Priya Kini and sophomore Divya Suresh, reapplied to be an official club and anxiously waited for a response.
According to student life commissioner senior Amy Ding, after student life commission receives the application, they have a discussion with the administration.
“Sometimes we have to table clubs[…]. Some will get rejected automatically, so they just won’t become a club,” Ding said. “Some will go to [legislative] council and once they go to [legislative] council, they’ll be voted on by the members of [legislative] council.”
And that’s exactly what happened for MVHS Raas. Earlier this month, Shah, Kini and Suresh were in the auditorium, listening in on the legislative council discuss the prospects for their beloved team.
“In Raas’ situation, it was a little bit different because with other clubs, we were looking at what they can bring to MVHS versus with Raas, it’s more what adding MVHS’ name to that club can bring to them,” Ding said. “Ultimately, we talked to Mr. White and he helped us decide that it wouldn’t harm anyone to add them as a club.”
That day in fifth period AP French, Kini told senior Aparna Manoj, who is a member of Raas, aside to tell her about the news.
“Becoming a club […] makes the whole process of meeting and practicing becomes a whole lot easier because previously, we had to find a place, especially when it rains because we don’t have space outdoors,” Manoj said. “Since we’re allowed to practice on campus, it becomes easier because it’s a lot easier to coordinate things.”
Sophomore Divya Suresh, a captain of MVHS Raas, describes how much easier being a club made it for them.
“We can practice on campus[…] We can call ourselves “Monta Vista Raas” and we can be this school’s dance team, rather than a dance team,” Suresh said. “We can promo on campus and everything is just easier, involving practices and communication.”
