The nine member high school dance group, VIP, is set to make a name for itself with high spirited performances, vibrant visuals and a mutual passion for K-pop. They are split between Tulsa and Oklahoma City, blending their talents, creativity and friendship into their performances.

VIP first came together when one of the leaders and a junior at Santa Fe, Jaiden Carr, saw a post from a founding member looking for dancers. 

“My aunt had seen the post and told us about it,” Carr said.

What began then has grown into the nine member group today, some who attend Santa Fe as well. Managing a group between two cities isn’t always easy, but worth every practice.

“My sister drove us to Tulsa every weekend. We don’t anymore though, it got to be too much so we split the group into OKC and Tulsa district,” Carr said.

Despite the distance, the group has found ways to stay connected and organized. Another leader, Niyah Jones, explained how they keep everything going smoothly. 

“Working with so many people can get stressful, so I have a folder in my notes where I keep everything VIP, such as current covers, future covers, information about the members, outfit concepts, assigned parts, etc,” Jones said.

The group’s identity is also coordinated into their name. VIP represents a rainbow, symbolizing diversity, unity and friendship. Each member is assigned a color that reflects their personality while also contributing to the group as a whole. 

K-pop plays a vital role in their performances and inspiration. Aespa is one of the main groups that heavily inspire and influence their choreography. One of their most memorable performances came during one of Santa Fe’s talent shows, where they performed “Armageddon” by Aespa. The performance stood out not only for its precision but also for its energy. 

“The crowd was loud, and it was exciting,” Carr said. 

For Jones, the talent show performance was also a favorite. 

“It was just a crowd favorite, and I loved our outfits. I also had fun practicing and filming, and I love the song,” Jones said.

Behind the scenes, the group puts in significant effort to perfect their routines. Many members often practice individually before coming together to clean formations and synchronize movements. It typically takes one to four days to fully learn a new dance for them. There are some intense challenges that take place at the end of many performances.

“The dance breaks are usually the most challenging because it’s like

the final stretch before the end. They tend to be fast and high difficulty,” Jones said

Looking ahead, VIP has big plans. They aim to perform at next year’s talent show, Debut, and at the Asian Night Market in the fall. In addition to in-person performances, they also want to start posting their performances online.

“We want to start filming covers and posting them to boost our socials and hopefully book more events,” Jones said. 

With their dedication, organization, and shared passion, VIP is more than just a dance group, it’s a growing community of performers bringing color and connection to every stage they dance on.