On Feb. 14, the Eagle Lightning Dance Team went to Districts. Prior to the competition, the team had to put in a lot of practice to perfect their routines so they could perform to the best of their abilities.
“We practice before school two or three times a week and we have longer practices on the weekends,” said senior Payten Wolf.
The dance team works hard at their practices to ensure they learn all their choreographies. This can be hard sometimes, as their practices before school can start as early as 5:45 a.m.
“Basketball games are really good practices for us because it gives us an opportunity to perform our dances out on the floor,” Wolf said.
At Districts, the dancers competed in four different categories: military, dance, hip hop and pom.
“My favorite category is pom, because I am really good at it,” said sophomore Macee Munson. “All the facial expressions and movements are really fun to perform.”
A typical day of competitions for the dancers includes waking up early to get ready, getting into costume and heading to the location of the competition. Following that, they perform their four dances. After all teams perform their routines, the award ceremony begins.
“I get really nervous before awards, and my heart starts beating fast with all the anticipation before the awards are announced,” Munson said.
At the competition, the Eagle Lightning Dance Team placed first in military, third in pom, third in dance and fourth in hip hop.
“Dance Districts were so much fun!” said Junior McKinley Boehler. “I had fun spending time with my team and getting to know them more.” The competition wasn’t just a chance for the dance team to show off the routines they have worked so hard to learn, but also an opportunity for them to strengthen their friendships and grow closer as a team.
“I’m so proud of how hard my team has worked this season; the effort is definitely not going unnoticed,” Boehler said.
The dance team always tries their best and that is reflected in how they perform. They work very hard to make themselves and their teammates proud. The girls are looking forward to their State competition later this month and are putting in the practice to perform the best they can.
