Dublin High’s seniors are known for their drive, with each class trying to top the last. At The Dublin Shield, we love to explore the stories of students who embody this spirit, eager to understand what motivates them to achieve their unique dreams. One of them, Jillian Huang, sets the bar high. In an exclusive interview we conducted with her, Jillian shared her experiences and recounted her journey with dancing, offering us insight into how she’s come to where she is in her senior year at Dublin High School.

AM: Can you tell us a bit about yourself and how you got started with dancing, especially in hip hop?

JW: My name is Jillian, and I’m a senior! When I was younger I took a few dance classes for a short time, but I didn’t start consistently dancing until I joined the Fallon hip hop team in 6th grade. 

AM: When did you join the DHS varsity hip hop team, and what motivated you to become a part of it?

JW: I joined the varsity team during my sophomore year (I was unable to be on the team freshman year because of COVID). My motivation for joining was that I would always see the high school team perform when I was on Fallon Hip Hop. I looked up to them so much and wanted to be like them. I had also never danced competitively before, and I wanted to be able to experience what competitions were like.

AM: What’s your favorite memory from hip hop at DHS?

JW: There are so many to choose from!! I would say going to Las Vegas and winning at Nationals during my sophomore year. The adrenaline rush was crazy on stage, and I had the best time performing. It had been a dream of mine since middle school to win at Nationals, so to have it come true was so special. Another memory that I have is our send-off where we perform for our family and friends right before we go to Nationals. It’s exciting to show everybody who has supported us the final routine right before and hear them wish us good luck. Other than one specific memory, I wanted to add that our team is like a family. I’m always excited to go to practice, and we all genuinely enjoy being together at practice, at competitions, and when we travel. I’m grateful that Coach Katie and Coach Inez have created this culture where we all love and support each other.

AM: Do you have any advice for people trying to join the DHS hip hop team?

JW: Perform with confidence! Don’t be afraid to go full out and do facials. Our coaches are looking for someone who is willing to apply corrections and give 100% at practice while still having fun. Also having your kip up is highly recommended :). 

AM: How do you balance your academic responsibilities with the time commitment needed for dance practices and performances?

JW: I’ve learned to plan my assignments and homework around practices and competitions. For our big competitions we usually have to leave for a weekend, so I have to get ahead of my work so I don’t have to do as much homework when I’m traveling. It isn’t easy, but it’s definitely worth it. 

AM: As a senior, what are your plans or aspirations related to dance after high school? Do you see yourself continuing with hip hop or exploring other dance styles?

JW: Even though I don’t plan on dancing competitively, I plan on joining a hip hop club in college! I’ve [also] always wanted to improve my overall dance technique because I’ve only done hip hop for the last seven years, so possibly taking a jazz or ballet class in college [would be a goal] too.

AM: Thank you for letting us interview you!

We’re all excited to see what Jillian achieves in the near future, and wish her the best in her future endeavors.