For many sports at FHC, having multiple teams at both the middle and high school has proven beneficial to the varsity team’s overall performance. Starting this year, the Forest Hills Central Varsity Dance Team introduced a second team at the middle school. The performance quality of the varsity team’s competition routines is already increasing.
There are three types of dance that the dance team competes throughout their season: jazz, pom, and hip-hop. And while most girls on the team have danced before, there are still drastic differences and skill gaps that they actively work to close. With the introduction of the middle school dance team, the varsity dancers can gain experience on a dance team before moving to high school, hopefully reducing the stress of team practices.
Many girls on the dance team dance at a studio outside of team practices. Studio dance is very different compared to the dance team, as studio dance is mainly specialized dance classes with an instructor, rather than a team setting. Studio dance holds lessons in many styles, including jazz, hip-hop, tap, and more. Senior Lindsey Fortino explains that while there are some disparities, having a dance team for the younger girls can improve the performances and experience level of the high school team.
“Dance team is very different from studio, and a lot of girls come up from studio expecting it to be like that, but it’s really a whole different world,” Lindsey said. “We are trying to start dance team young—in seventh and eighth grade—and I think going forward, it will affect the team dynamic. Girls will feel more confident, it won’t be new, [and] it will be less stressful.”
Having multiple types of dancers with different backgrounds can affect the team’s unity and performance. Before the middle school team was formed, the freshmen’s first year on the team focused on bridging the gap between contrasting backgrounds and techniques. However, now, thanks to the new addition of a team to Ranger Country, the team’s practices in the future will run more smoothly. Senior Maja Vidinlic has been dancing for 16 years and has been on the Forest Hills Central Varsity Dance Team for the past four years, and explains that while she has lots of experience with all different types of dance, not all of the girls hoping to join the team do.
“Having a middle school team can improve our performance because before we made the middle school team, a lot of people didn’t have any experience with a dance team,” Maja said. “Because studio [dance] is a lot different than the dance team.”
In addition to exercises almost every weekday, and the occasional weekend and morning practice, the girls on the varsity team also coach the middle school team, which can definitely cause additional stress and a heavier workload.
“The middle school only did one competition, while we did three or four,” Maja said. “Their schedule is a lot less grueling. For high school, we practice every single day, with morning practices three days a week.”
While the heavy schedule and time commitment can make the team sound hectic and hard to manage, there are ways to organize schedules to accommodate the demanding practice schedule. In addition, there are benefits to being on the team that overshadow the heavy workload. Having the opportunity to coach has affected the high school team members, both in practice and outside of practice.
“I feel like [coaching] has helped me in my leadership more; I was able to teach the littles what it’s like to be on the high school dance team,” Maja said. “It was cool, because some of them got to look up to me.”
In addition to the preparation aspect of having the middle school team, the younger girls can experience first-hand what it’s like to be on the high school team. It can also give them the opportunity to meet and talk with some of the older girls on the team and the coach, who will lead them during their time on the high school team.
“We always talk at the end of practice, and a lot of the seniors and upperclassmen talk to them,” Lindsey said. “Especially going into competition, I give them my mindset that I wish I had had [in my] freshman year. I definitely try to [tell] the girls, going into basketball [games], ‘You’re going to do great, but if you mess up, the worst thing that’s going to happen is that you mess up.’”
Performing can be nerve-racking, and with competitive sports such as dance, it can be difficult to find the right headspace and confidence before performing. Having older girls who have already been through the stress and anxiety of a first performance to help guide younger girls through can enhance the team’s dynamic and overall unity. Junior Cassie Hovinga acknowledges the importance of having someone to look up to as a younger dancer, as well as how important it is to put on the best performance for young, aspiring dancers.
“Everyone on the dance team knows that it’s really helpful and encouraging when we have support, so we want to do the same for them,” Cassie said.
Having older girls to look up to can enhance the confidence and reduce the anxiety of the younger girls. The varsity dancers are like role models to the middle schoolers; words of wisdom can encourage the dancers greatly.
“One piece of advice I would say is to remember to have fun when performing,” Cassie said. “The most important part [of dance] is to enjoy what you’re doing.”