As the music pumped through the speakers and feet were hitting the floor, young Ri-anne Saravong was looking up at her older family members dancing, wishing that she could become just like them, on a dance team.
Saravong is the new Oyster River High School (ORHS) dance team advisor, along with being a new paraeducator. She has helped the dance team members in going through with the dance showcase. Saravong has also been active in the ORHS community, connecting with and getting help for those who need it.
When Saravong first started teaching at ORHS this year, the thing that caught her eye was the dance team. She knew that she wanted to take part in it, but…how?
Grace Kasper (‘25), one of the dance team captains, was at a regular meeting in which Saravong also attended and brought up the team. Kasper stated that the team was in need of a new advisor. Needless to say, Saravong was hooked.
Saravong states, “The first thing I really wanted to do coming in was like, I want to see [the team]…I know there were other advisors before me, but I definitely knew they were looking for someone. I kind of invited myself. I came in and I was just like, I love it. I want to be a part of this.”
Being a part of the dance team as the advisor, has helped Saravong replenish her longing for dance.
Saravong has always been interested in dancing ever since she could walk. The feeling that dance gives her is irreplaceable. Even her collection of Step-Up movies made her feel so happy as a child and really got her into dancing.
When she was young, she grew up watching members of her family dance professionally. She says, “There are a lot of family members who danced so good that they were in a dance crew. They did dance videos and I would always want to watch or join, and I was kind of like their number one fan.”
Although many don’t know this, Saravong graduated from ORHS in 2019. Through high school, Saravong wanted to take professional dance classes and after several no’s from her parents, she decided to take matters in her own hands. Saravong tried putting together a dance team at ORHS, but the plan fell through.
She states, “During my time, there were a lot of students who were not as confident as the new generation was. Of course, I would’ve loved to dance at school, but I didn’t do it. And I think at the time, like three people agreed to be on this dance team.”
Although Saravong doesn’t dance anymore, she along with Vincent Xavapy (‘25), her cousin, have found time in their lives to incorporate it. “I dance at home; I dance at my cousin’s house. Like all our life, we first started to do it in the car…We have all of the Just Dances too.”
Using that passion for dance, she has been assisting the team captains in both the leadership and technical aspects of the team. Kasper recalls that, “As much as she’s absolutely incredible at managing social stuff and understanding our team dynamic, she also is able to understand the dance part and danced herself.”
Kasper states, “It feels like a weight has been lifted off of me because we finally have someone and…I feel like I can actually go to her and be like, can you help?” Saravong has also been making an effort to show up at every single practice and being available to assist any of the team members.
Saravong has helped by looking out for and making corrections. She has also been learning the choreography to understand it from the dancer’s perspective. And if she sees anyone that is struggling, she makes sure to reach out.
Eden Suoth, one of Saravong’s colleagues has always admired Saravong’s ability to just swoop in whenever someone needs help. “Even though we are both new hires here, she had an incredible wealth of information about the school, given that she went here. It’s really helpful to ask her what the school was like from her student perspective.”
When Saravong was a student, she knew that she wanted to be a paraeducator. She learned about Hellen Keller and all the things she was able to accomplish and spent a lot of time with the students in the Life Skills classrooms.
Saravong states, “It’s definitely different being on the teacher side than a student, because I can actually go into class with them and shadow them, what they do. And also, I didn’t realize that they do a lot of off campus stuff.” One of the activities Saravong helped out with was Unified Basketball.
Suoth admires that Saravong is passionate about helping students whether it be in class or out. “A lot of the students that she works with are through extracurriculars as well. She does a lot, whether that is helping out with dance or one time, she came in here and essentially hired my advisory to help make posters for the unified basketball game.”
Xavapy has seen Saravong be motivated and determined as core parts of her personality. He also says, “If you would go up to her and ask her for honesty, she will definitely give it to you. She’s definitely a trusting person and she’s just a good person to hang out with. Like her vibe is good and you definitely won’t be bored with her.”
Saravong truly likes working at the school as a paraeducator. She says, “The best part is just having fun hanging out with all the students, just talking to them as a person, not as a security. I was actually, one of the students that had a disability so, they see I’m living my lifestyle and how I’m doing with it. They’re sometimes also very surprised that I did have a disability.”
Saravong had a learning disability when she was in school and she uses it to her advantage to better connect with her students. She says, “I would want it to motivate them. I would want them to know, like if someone who has the same disability as me can do this, then why can’t I?”
When she was younger, Lilo and Stitch was (and still is), Saravong’s favorite movie. It has stayed with her, her whole life. The message from the movie is that nobody gets left behind or forgotten.
And whether it be in the Life Skills classroom, on the Dance Team, or in any aspect of her life, Saravong makes sure of that.
– Hannah Klarov
Mouth of the River 
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