Most who have experienced the tradition of lion dancing might be content staying a spectator for fear of feeling embarrassed to wear a huge costume while dancing. But for junior Ryan Cruz, he remains fearless...
![On the day of his performance, junior Ryan Cruz prepares himself and tries to calm his nerves for the event. For Cruz, lion dancing is an expressive outlet that brings emotion to any spectators that check out his performances. “It’s really fun for me, honestly,” Cruz said. “I like jumping around, or running around. I really like [pretending to] bite people as the lion. It means a lot to me that I’m able to make people smile, whether it is making them think that I brought them good fortune, or doing those random things to kids to cheer them up because they’re really scared.”](https://southwestshadow.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/image0-14.jpeg)
![Posing with a Chiikawa stand, a popular Japanese cartoon character, junior Chloe Rivera enjoys her time in Japan. She snapped a picture with the Chiikawa and Tokyo Banana collaboration poster to commemorate the moment. “I think they [Chiikawa] were really cute and during the time I was thinking about how Tokyo Banana and Chiikawa collab and that I should take a picture before their collab ended,” Rivera said. “Sometimes I wish I got the collab package, but I’m also glad I didn’t even though the packaging is different.”
“Photo Credit: Chloe Rivera”](https://southwestshadow.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/72DA18B8-84EC-4C3A-846B-D0A9BD5CE774-1-1.jpg)
![Neutral color schemes are proven to limit visual interest in an interior space and have a draining, depressing effect on people. In the past year, the neutral aesthetic has become popularized in all areas, and in the classroom it can affect education. “In schools, traditionally, we use colors that, like, create a calm environment,” Fashion Design teacher Levi Harbeson said. “Color is really good because it stimulates the brain and it stimulates thinking. In my room, I not only try to have a lot of color, but you also want to make sure those colors are constantly changing. So you have new student artwork on the wall, or you rearrange your posters, or you move stuff around, because changes to the learning environment keep students engaged. When they walk in and they notice differences in [color], they're gonna be more interested and their brains will be more activated in that space.”
Photo credit: Freepik - pvproductions](https://southwestshadow.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/unnamed-17.jpg)