The dance team’s first competition was held at Mundelein High School against 18 other teams in the area.
“Our first competition was Sunday, November 22, at Mundelein High School. We did two routines this year. We did kick for the time and our poms routine,” said coach Keeley Thode.
With the competition season starting, the team practices choreography and techniques for their routines in competitions.
“Our competition season begins the beginning of November through the end of January,” said senior Teagan Bosshart.
The weeks leading up to competitions are busy with perfecting the technique and choreography.
“We compete at six different competitions before we go to Sectionals. If we qualify at Sectionals, we go to State,” Thode said.
Competition are filled with preparing for their performance and anxiously awaiting the results.
“You usually get ready, then go to the warm up gym. After that, you proceed to checking the music and doing it one last time full out before you go out and perform. After everyone dances, awards are held later to find out what place you received,” said senior Paulina Lopez.
The team has been practicing in preparation for their Mundelein Competition.
“Our first competition goal is to place both routines in the top ten with one routine in the top six,” Thode said.
Dance also performs at all home boys and girls basketball games.
“Lots of things happen during the competition season. We perform at basketball games, team bonding and lots of grueling practices with lots of sweat and sassiness. But, I love my team and wouldn’t trade them for the world,” Lopez said.
According to Thode, it is crucial for the athletes to strive for self-improvement.
“It’s important for dancers to know that you’re really not competing against other teams, you’re competing against yourself. It’s really easy for even me, as a coach, and my girls to get fixated on who is going to be at the competitions and what teams we are up against. We can’t change that, so we just have to better ourselves after each competition,” Thode said.