Captivating, intriguing and enticing are a few words to describe the University of Hawai‘i Rainbow Warrior Dancers.
The dancers perform at every UH football and men’s basketball game and are led by director Marcelo Pacleb and captains Janelle Sanqui and Trina Rydzewski.
Pacleb is an accomplished dancer and choreographer who has won numerous awards in Hawai‘i, most notably two Po‘okela awards from the Hawai‘i State Theatre Council for a musical. Pacleb has choreographed over 30 musicals and produced shows including the Don Ho Show and The Star of Honolulu. He is also the director of 24-VII Danceforce Company in Honolulu.
These leaders have to put together a dance team talented in style, creativity and precision. Sanqui said that dancers must have a knack for performing at the highest level during pressure situations, as at Aloha Stadium, where crowds can reach upward of 50,000.
“An ideal Rainbow Dancer has the talent and stage presence to hold a crowd as large as the one at Aloha Stadium,” Sanqui said.
The girls see each other almost every day either in practice or at school, so along with being able to perform on a big stage, the team also prefers their members to be good-natured.
“(The ideal Rainbow Warrior Dancer) also has the personality to have a one-on-one conversation with the people we come into contact with,” Sanqui said.
To become a Rainbow Warrior Dancer, prospects must go through an extensive audition process for Pacleb and the captains to get to know the aspiring dancer better.
“The audition process usually begins with a technique portion, then a hip-hop routine and jazz routine are taught and performed,” Sanqui said. “Once cuts are made, interviews are scheduled to ensure that everyone’s values and goals as a team are similar. Interviews give us an idea of how well the team will work together.”
Like many of the Rainbow Warrior Dancers, Sanqui said that she enjoys performing at football games, where there are a lot of people cheering her and the team on.
“Every moment in front of the crowd at Aloha Stadium is exciting,” Sanqui said.
Being a Rainbow Dancer teaches valuable life lessons, such as how to be humble and be a positive example for young children.
“As a team, we’ve noticed the Rainbow Dancers is really about quality not quantity,” Sanqui said. “As a Rainbow Dancer, it’s important to understand that you are a role model in and out of the uniform.
“Talent is a blessing, but it’s the willingness to work hard and be humble about what you do that really stands out.”






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