Ridge Dance Captains

Alexandra Green
Captain of Ridge Dance Collective

Alexandra Green has been a loving member of the Ridge Dance Department since her freshman year. By the end of senior year, she will have completed everything that Ridge Dance has to offer; being a part of Dance I, Dance II (twice :)), Dance III, Ridge Dance Collective, Ridge Dance Team, and the National Honors Society for Dance Arts. She is so beyond grateful for the opportunity to be a Ridge Dance Collective Co-Captain, and for all of the amazing opportunities that Ridge Dance has provided her. Alexandra feels so lucky to have found a second home through Ridge Dance, and she will always remember Ridge Dance as the thing that got her through highschool. She is so appreciative to every single person in the program, as well as Mrs. Miranda, who has helped her grow in priceless ways as a collaborator, dancer, and person. Alexandra is so thrilled to be performing alongside her best friends in her last two showcases, though there is nothing she will miss more. Alexandra plans on continuing to dance in college, and beyond, while also studying hospitality! She can’t express how much Ridge Dance has changed her life and encourages everybody to get involved in Ridge Dance in any and every way that they can.
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Penelope Arthur
Captain of Ridge Dance Team

Penelope Arthur has been a member of Ridge Dance Team since she was a freshman and she is beyond grateful to be a co-captain of Ridge Dance Team her senior year. She has been involved in several different performing arts related extracurricular activities here at Ridge High School. In addition to being the captain of Ridge Dance Team, she has been the lead dance assistant for the Ridge Drama Club Musicals since she was a freshman and was the Secretary of the National Honors Society for Dance Arts last year! She has also participated in Dance II, Dance III, and is currently completing an full-year independent study for dance arts with Ms. Miranda! Penelope is so appreciative of her access to such an established dance program in a public school, and she advocates for the importance of art education. In the Fall of 2023, Penelope will be attending the George Washington University where she will be studying Womens, Gender, and Sexuality Studies and Dance (intending to follow a Pre-Law track)! She is looking forward to the RDT competitions and her final Ridge Dance Showcases this year!
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Eliana Hartman
Captain of Ridge Dance Collective

Eliana Hartmann has been a member of the Ridge Dance Department since her freshman year, and is extremely grateful to be a Ridge Dance Collective Co-Captain during her senior year. Throughout her time in Ridge Dance, she has participated in the Dance I, Dance II, and Dance III electives, as well as Ridge Dance Team, Ridge Dance Collective, and the National Honors Society for Dance Arts. She also assists with the Social Skills Dance class. Eliana has been honored to call Ridge Dance her second home for the past three years, and is so grateful for all of the opportunities and experiences dancing here has given her. She has made some of her closest friends and best memories in Ridge Dance, and feels so lucky to dance with such an amazing group of people. Eliana is extremely excited for her senior year with Ridge Dance, and can’t wait to see what that future holds. ​​

Meghan McMahon
Captain of Ridge Dance Team

​Meghan has been apart of Ridge Dance since 7th grade and is co-captain of Ridge Dance Team this year. Along with being a member of dance team since freshman year, she has also been in Dance II, Dance III and a member of Ridge Dance Collective. She is also a member of the National Honor Society for Dance Arts which she served as the treasurer for last year. She is so thankful for the community and home that the dance department has given her within the high school. It has been incredible to get to know such a welcoming and hard working group. She is so proud of everything the department has accomplished and it has been her honor to be a part of it. Meghan is going to miss Ridge Dance so much next year, but for know she is excited to have a great year ahead!

Leaders of National Honors Society for Dance Arts

Becky Smith
​President of NHSDA

Becky Smith has been a member of Ridge Dance since 8th grade, and is ecstatic to be the President of the National Honor Society for Dance Arts for a second year. She started her Ridge Dance journey as a member of the dance collective, joined the Ridge Dance Team her freshman year as well as taking Dance II, and became a member and President of NHSDA her junior year. She loves nothing more than helping and supporting Ridge Dance, and can’t wait to continue doing so this school year. Ridge Dance has become her second family, and she doesn’t know how she would have gotten through high school without it. Ridge Dance has allowed for Becky to come out of her shell and learn life long lessons, such as leadership skills and more. She is grateful for every person who has been a part of her Ridge Dance experience, especially Mrs Miranda, who assisted her growth into becoming the person she is today. Becky plans to continue her love of dance through university, whilst also studying archaeology and ancient history. Becky cannot wait for the upcoming showcase and competitions.

Chloe Moss
Treasurer of NHSDA

Chloe Moss has been a member of Ridge Dance Team since she was a freshman and is now involved in Ridge Dance Collective, National Honors Society for Dance Arts, and Dance II as well. She is honored to be the treasurer of NHSDA, as well as the lessons and responsibilities that come with it. Chloe is incredibly grateful for the Ridge Dance Department, as it has given her a community where she can grow and express her limitless passion for dance with people who love it just as much as she does. She has made so many life long friends through the program and will always love her Ridge Dance family. She is looking forward to the upcoming Ridge Dance Team competition’s this season as well as both the winter and spring Ridge Dance Showcases.​

Emily Xing
​Secretary of NHSDA

Throughout her high school career, Emily has been part of the Ridge Dance Team and NHSDA. This year, Emily is very honored to be co-Secretary of NHSDA. She loves the Ridge Dance community and can’t wait to collaborate with her fellow dancers. Emily is also a member of the New Jersey School of Ballet’s Junior Company and has been accepted into top ballet summer intensives around the world. She hopes to continue pursuing her dance dreams and appreciates everything Ridge Dance has done to help her achieve them. She’s very excited to dance out the rest of the year with the amazing Ridge Dance program.

Alyssa Kim
Vice-President of NHSDA

​Alyssa has been part of the Ridge Dance Team and Collective since her freshman year and is so excited to be NHSDA Vice President for the 2022-2023 school year! Since her time at Ridge, Alyssa has taken all dance curriculum classes and is also choreography captain for Ridge Dance Collective. She started dancing since the age of 3 and cannot imagine a life without! Ridge Dance has given her amazing new friends and unforgettable opportunities. She is looking forward to another wonderful year in the Ridge Dance family and cannot wait to take on every new endeavor!

Gabriella Gross
Treasurer of NHSDA

Gabriella Gross has been a member of Ridge Dance since she was in middle school, as a junior she is very grateful to have the opportunity to be the co-treasurer of the National Honors Society for Dance Arts. Additionally, as well as being a part of NHSDA, she has been involved in extracurriculars within Ridge, such as being co-choreography captain for Ridge Dance collective, and a member since eighth grade. Gabriella truly appreciates the welcoming and loving environment which the Ridge Dance department offers. She cherishes the friendships and memories she has made throughout Ridge Dance. She is proud to say that Ridge dance has had an everlasting impact on her life today, not just as a dancer but as a person. Gabriella is very thankful for the opportunity to have such a wonderful program at Ridge, and she is very grateful for Mrs. Miranda’s invaluable support. As a leader she is honored to be able to be a part of the department at a higher level, she is grateful to be able to learn the behind the scenes work through the National Honors Society for Dance Arts. She hopes that the legacy of Ridge dance will continue for many generations to come, and will only grow from here. The message of the department spreads beyond just dance, Gabriella will take these valuable lessons with her even after her time at Ridge High School. She is looking forward to this year's showcases and dancing with her friends!

Anya da Silva
Secretary of NHSDA

Anya da Silva has been apart of the Ridge Dance Department since middle school. Currently, as a junior, Anya is one of the choreography captains for Ridge Dance Collective and the co-secretary of the National Honors Society for Dance Arts. As a choreography captain for Ridge Dance Collective, Anya loves all of the long lasting memories she has made with her group and learning the process of how to plan a dance from start to finish that will be performed. Having the opportunity to join this club in middle school allowed Anya to be involved in the Ridge Dance Department beginning as early as 7th grade! Having a leadership position in NHSDA has taught Anya the responsibility of working behind the scenes of the department with others and how much goes into organizing and performing a showcase! Anya is eternally grateful to have a dance department in her high school where she can be involved in her school and express her love for dance with Mrs. Miranda and all her wonderful peers! Anya is looking forward to the winter and spring showcases this upcoming year, making new memories, and forming new friendships!

Ridge Dance Social Media Coordinators

Alyssa Urschler
​Social Media Coordinator

Alyssa Urschler has been a member of Ridge Dance since she was a Freshman and is now a Junior. She is a current dancer on the Ridge Dance Team and has also been involved in Ridge Dance Collective and the Dance II elective in the past. This year, she appreciates being given the opportunity to be the co-social media coordinator for the department! Alyssa is proud to be able to reach audiences through social media and present to them the wonderful community that Ridge Dance has to offer. She feels that she has made so many amazing friends and memories that she wouldn’t have made without the department. For her, Ridge Dance is a place where she can express her love for dance in an environment that Mrs. Miranda has so thoughtfully curated. Being involved in Ridge Dance has encouraged her to step out of her comfort zone and try new areas of dance that she never thought she would seek. As the co-social media coordinator, Alyssa wishes to bring in many different audiences into the department in hopes that they will get to experience the incredible opportunities that she is so grateful to have encountered. She is excited to be dancing with such talented dancers in the upcoming showcases along with competing in dance competitions this season!

Becca Lipset
Social Media Coordinator

Rebecca Lipset has been a part of the Ridge Dance since her freshman year, and now, as a junior, she is extremely grateful to be a co-social media manager for the department! Ridge Dance has offered her so much as she continues to go through her high school career. She is not only appreciative of the dance opportunities she has received, but also the friendships she has made throughout the years, which she knows will last a lifetime. Ridge Dance has helped Rebecca become more confident in her dancing because of the open and loving environment. She is proud to have also been a member of Ridge Dance Collective and a choreographer captain for the large group hiphop team number. She is super excited to be social media manager this year because she knows she will be able to connect with the students and spread the love of dance throughout the community. She loves using social media as a positive platform that showcases the values of Ridge Dance. As a leader Rebecca is looking forward to getting more involved with Ridge Dance throughout the behind the scenes of National Honors Society for Dance Arts. She is thrilled to have this opportunity to inspire other dancers in the program to be confident and passionate about their dancing, just like Ridge Dance has done for her. She is looking forward to the showcases and RDT competitions that are to come.  Ridge Dance has truly shaped Rebecca into the dancer and person that she is today and it will be a memory she carries with her even after leaving Ridge.