The varsity and JV hip hop team hired Ysa Penarejo to be a part of the coaching staff in July. With a 20-year background in dance, Penarejo has had an extensive career. She was featured in “Project Mc2,” “An American Girl: McKenna Shoots For The Stars” and “Stargirl.” Penarejo was a technically trained dancer her whole life, but it wasn’t until later that she discovered her love for hip hop. In high school, Penarejo was co-captain of her dance team, where she led her team to two national championships.
In her adult career, she joined the award-winning Choreo Cookies dance team staff, and is now in her third year of directing them.
“I didn’t always know I wanted to teach dance, but I’ve discovered that it fills my cup like no other,” Penarejo said.
Penarejo has been close friends with Torrey Pines Dance Team (TPDT) head coach Francis Florendo for a long time, and when the previous dance coach Kaylar Preite decided to take a step back, Penarejo stepped up to the plate.
Penarejo values teamwork and wishes for the dance team to have a strong bond.
“It’s like a puzzle — each person is a puzzle piece and when one piece is missing we can’t complete the overall picture,” Penarejo said.
She instills this mindset in the dancers and creates a positive atmosphere by making everyone feel important.
“Ysa has this unique way of making everyone feel valued and heard, and she inspires everyone around her to be their best selves,” varsity hip-hop captain, Jordan Hopper (11), said. “She’s always there to lend a listening ear or offer a shoulder to lean on. Dance team is so grateful to have Ysa on this journey with us.”
JV hip hop and contemporary dancer Courtney Brill (11) believes that Penarejo’s fresh perspective and professional approach has already positively influenced the school’s dancers.
“Ysa has brought a new environment, and a welcoming second home,” Brill said. “She gives the best advice, and I feel that I’ve grown as a dancer since spending time with her.”
Penarejo approaches any conflict that may arise with a grounded and understanding mindset. She pulls from her own experiences as a young dancer to support everyone in their dance journeys. “Rejection is redirection” is a phrase Penarejo lives by when approaching obstacles with the team. Keeping this in mind allows the coaches to redirect and move forward with a solution that benefits the team in the long run.
“My main goal is to remind the dance team that in a space like this, yes we are here for our own personal growth, but leaning on each other for support and doing it together is one of the most fulfilling experiences to go through,” Penarejo says. “Being on a team does not only mean putting in the work to make a dance routine look clean or perfect, but being there for the people you made this happen with and being that team player will translate into life after high school.”
