Dance team bids adieu to competition season as teammates look to adjust

Chin up, smile wide, remember the counts, do it with pride. After nine months together, West dancers are tying up loose ends and saying farewell to the 2023-24 season. As they reflect on countless hours of repetition, cardio, and movement, the pride and love they share for the team is met with sorrowful goodbyes. 

Freshman Camille Phillips treasures memories from early summer when her dance journey was just beginning. 

“I didn’t have many dance opportunities and I thought this was a good way to do something I really enjoy, especially coming from a cheer background,” she said. 

However, the new faces and environment took some getting used to; it isn’t easy being the new girl on the block. 

“I didn’t click immediately; it took until homecoming. The entire summer was really hard because I wasn’t very talkative and it was very nerve wracking seeing all these new people,” Phillips said. “But meeting them has been a good experience, and they are some of my closest friends.” 

Other teammates pursued dance as a continuation of a childhood full of twirls. For instance, senior Fallon McClellan has been dancing as long as she could walk.

“I joined because I’ve been dancing my whole life at studios,” she said. “I figured I wanted to try a different version of dance and meet new people, so I decided to try high school dance.”

Whether they have one or 15 years of experience, it is clear each teammate embodies impeccable work ethic and dedication, according to Ally Grill, former Wildcat dancer and current coach of two years.

“The girls push themselves every day and have a positive attitude coming into it. They try their best all season long,” she said. 

The committed athletes face criticism, despite their work. Sophomore, and teammate of two years, Ava Lichtwald hears the misconceptions murmured within West halls.

“A lot of people say that it’s really easy, and not a real sport,” she said. “But we don’t listen to them and keep doing us. We know it’s not true and that dance team is really hard, both mentally and physically.”

Phillips agrees with Lichtwald’s statement. Throughout the season, she conquered every challenge that arose. 

“The hardest part is tricks like ariels, back handsprings, and turns because I’m a left turner and needed to do right turns. To learn a whole new dominant side is definitely difficult,” she said. “Another challenge is having to keep the energy up when it’s always fast and you constantly need to hit every count.”

Like countless other sports, dance presents immense mental hurdles. Occasionally, the athletes feel limited by the beast occupying their minds. 

“There’s a lot of skills they put you in at the beginning of the season that you may not have yet,” junior Lucy Whitcomb said. “It’s important to keep pushing yourself to work towards them and trust that you have the ability and just need time.”

Summer Zinsli, sophomore and West dancer of two years, has also been affected by a negative mentality. 

“When I think I can’t do something, I bring myself to not do it,” she said. “If I think that I can then I will, but if I think that I can’t then I won’t.”

The mental burden isn’t the only threat to success. While very natural and harmless at a glance, high school drama has a menacing effect and taps high spirits. Thankfully, the team’s strong bond has weathered the storm.

“There’s going to be ups and downs with people no matter what, but I think we overcome those ups and downs and ultimately come together,” Zinsli said. 

Together, teammates compete in a pom and a kick routine. However, a few of the girls showcase their talents with a solo performance. 

“Pom is really upbeat and very sharp. There’s a lot happening and a lot of formations, while kick is all about technique and telling a story,” Grill said. “Other teams do jazz and hip hop, but our team does really well for pom and kick so we stick to those.”

McClellan enjoyed portraying the emotional kick routine to the tune of “Eleanor Rigby.”

“A lot of people didn’t feel as confident with it this year, which is probably because we didn’t spend as much time on it as pom,” she said. “But kick this year has been more unique than it’s been the last couple years, and I really liked performing that routine because it was slower and had a whole different vibe than pom.”

While competition routines are pieced together by masterful hands of professionals, the dancers are offered opportunities to play with their own tasteful choreography. 

“For football routines we usually have seniors and other teammates choreograph,” Grill said. 

As much as she enjoys the sidelines, Zinsli completely adores the electrifying feel of competition. 

“I love football, but I think competitions beat it. I like the energy we always have, and even if we do bad, we come back from it and hype each other up as a team,” she said. “I love when we do good or someone is happy because they did a skill really well. It just lifts the whole team up.”

Now, after long game nights, tasty team dinners followed by energetic competition, and deep bonds destined to last, the girls are already reflecting and establishing goals for what’s on the horizon. 

“When I look at the videos of me in the beginning of the season, I think about how it was not cute at all. I love seeing how much we have grown both as people, but also within relationships,” Phillips said. 

McClellan wishes the squad one final farewell. 

“My sophomore year we didn’t place at any competitions, we had brand new coaches, and while it was a fresh start, it was kind of defeating. Then, last year we placed at a competition for the first time in a couple years and ended up going to state,” she said. “While we didn’t get to state this year, we still grew drastically as a team.” 

The team shares a passionate spark, and they’re ready to fiercely ignite it in three short months.

“We’re definitely ready to push ourselves even more. I’m really excited to see how the team grows, and our goal next year is to make it to state,” Zinsli said. 

Meanwhile, McClellan prepares for all that’s to come as she opens her next chapter. No matter how her story unfolds, she looks forward to dancing across every blank page, as she isn’t ready to leave the sport behind. While she parts with teammates, the place they hold in her heart is not subject to change.

“I know that they are very, very capable of doing great things, and the way that I’ve seen them grow this year is just insane,” she said. “Even though we didn’t go to state, we ended on such a good note. I can’t wait to come back and see the team and I know that next year is going to be amazing for them no matter what.”

by Jazmine Blustin

Published February 26 2024

Oshkosh West Index Volume 120 Issue V