Student Spotlight: Allyson Cantimbuhan
April 28, 2017
Taking on the roles of both Diamond Bar High School Dance Company’s co-captain and Marquis president, Allyson Cantimbuhan has no time to spare. From teaching choreography to coaching vocals, the senior has dedicated her time to help lead DBHS’ Performing Arts department throughout her high school years.
Cantimbuhan started singing at the age of four and joined choir in middle school. However, it wasn’t until high school that she learned how to sing professionally in a group. After years of hard work, she stepped up as the president and led her team during numerous competitions.
With the school choir director, Patty Breitag, gone for three quarters of this school year, Cantimbuhan felt the need to step up by taking role, invoicing discipline and becoming a role model for the group. Despite their lack of an official director beside them, they won third place at the Arcadia PowWow competition with Cantimbuhan in lead.
“It was very hard for us to get a good grip on things,” she said. “Knowing that we got everything together and performed it and placed just makes me really proud of that accomplishment.”
Cantimbuhan attributes her success as the Marquis leader to her past involvement in the Women’s Honors Choir. Consisting of selectively chosen students across California, the Honors Choir taught her specific vocal skills, which she uses to help her team at school now.
“I hope that my experience in honor choir really helped [Marquis] with their discipline, how they learn their music and how they incorporate how to learn music with everything else because learning music is very difficult,” Cantimbuhan said.
With the amount of attention Cantimbuhan gained from her vocal abilities, her friends and family encouraged her to try out for singing competitions. During her sophomore year, she tried out for “The Voice” and made it through the first round. Although she didn’t make it pass the succeeding rounds, she recounts the audition as one of her most prideful and memorable moments.
Cantimbuhan began dancing as a hobby in elementary school but stopped until she was immersed into hip-hop her freshman year. One year later, after hearing the news about DBHS Dance Company’s new female hip-hop group, she decided to try out for the team. In addition to making the team, she took the spot as captain the following year after countless hours of practice.
Although the dance company won many awards with her as captain, she believes that her greatest accomplishment was simply being able to perform with the girls as a new team. Cantimbuhan said that leading the dance team was an overwhelming opportunity, as she first joined the team with the goal of merely becoming a member.
“Being co-captain, you need to know how to clean dance moves and knowing choreography to the very last detail so that when you help clean, you’re not corrected all the time.”
With four AP classes this year, Cantimbuhan had a lot to manage.
Wanting to prioritize everything including academics, choir and dance, she had to learn to manage time wisely.
“If I’m going to do something, I’m going to go through with it full-force,” she said. “I think that’s partially why I’m president and co-captain because when I pursue something I go all the way, not just half way.”
Cantimbuhan hopes to join a local dance team or acapella group during the next few years. She is considering attending San Diego State University.
