By Maxine Smith
Lovett’s first-ever dance team showed their skills to the upper school for the first time at a morning assembly, busting their choreographed, highly-synced moves to a hip-hop remix.
We were impressed.
So were the judges at their first competition, where they got first place in hip-hop and fourth in jazz. The competition took place at Peachtree Ridge High School.
Junior Avery Fallon said, “It was really challenging because we started the season so late,” The dance team had tryouts in September, then started up their season soon after. To be that successful in their first competition, they had to cram a ton of choreography and “cleaning” into a very short period.
The dance team usually practices once a week on Wednesdays from 6-8.
“We only have it once a week just because a lot of us have a lot going on, including some of us are in Newsies or basketball cheer,” Avery said. A lot of them are participating in other fine arts or sports so their schedule is very packed.
As they approach a competition, the number of practices increases. “We picked up a few weekend rehearsals and a few extra weekday rehearsals,” Avery said. The dancers on the team are very dedicated and are very flexible, often coming in early in the morning to prepare for competitions.
Notably, most of the team is made up of sophomores and freshmen. That’s “because it’s so new,” Avery said. But, everyone on the team has had a lot of experience with dancing. “Most of us dance outside of school or at least used to,” Avery said.
Another requirement, if anyone wanted to try out for the team, is they must already be in the dance program. Many of the people on the team are also in honors dance.
When I asked Avery if the dance team was harder than the class Avery said, “Yes, just because most people take the class because they think it would be a fun class.” Then on the dance team, you have to try out, so it is more advanced. Also, the team had to learn the dances in such a short period.
The dance team has to learn at least two new dances for each competition. One of the dances is Hip Hop while the other is Jazz. Christina said, “Aaron brings in this teacher for our jazz dance, and then he teaches us the Hip Hop dance.”
Balancing those dances on top of the class dances can be challenging. But Avery said they’re up for it. “Most of us once we learn the choreography it kind of just sticks,” she said. Many of the dancers also spend time on their own practicing to learn any of the choreography that is a bit confusing.
Junior Audrey Mia said she spends at least an hour every day t practicing on her own.
Aaron, the dance team coach, makes the music choices and directs the choreography. He has to get it just right. “It can’t be one song it has to be a remix, otherwise the energy goes down,” Christina said, “and then he choreographs it based on the remix.” Junior Audrey Mia said, “Sometimes I help give ideas it just depends on if the teacher [Aaron] needs help or not.”
The dance team and the class are two very different things. When I asked sophomore Christina Dehabreh to explain the main difference between the dance team and the class, she said, “There are focused dancers on the team, in the class, people are mostly just there for fun and the elective, but the dance team people are committed.”
