Up until this year, the LHS dance team has never won first place more than once in a season.
Not only did the team win first place once, which has not happened since 2021, they even won first a second time. Placing in the top three has always been a goal for the team, but it has consistently proven hard to achieve. This year, they have been in the top three all season long, a figure representation of their strong performances.
The dance team holds tryouts in May, at the end of every school year. From there, they practice and get ready for competition season over the summer. The most important attribute that Jenn Van Dyke, LHS dance coach, looks for during tryouts is a hard worker.
“I want to see potential, I want to see someone that really wants it and wants to put in the work. Having skills and tricks come easy is not necessarily as important to me. Someone that you can tell really wants it and has a really good work ethic is number one,” said Van Dyke.
As far as what makes the 2025 team stronger than ever before, it is clear that their connections make them excel.
“This team, they really respect each other. We have been focusing on connection all season long. They value each dancer on the floor and off the floor. They are really able to come together more as a team this year, and you see it when they perform,” said Van Dyke.
Not only can the audience see the connection the dancers have, but they can feel it when they perform. LHS senior and four-year dance team member Livi Wornson knows that it is important to be connected while dancing.
“I think that we were really connected this year. We really have grown to respect each other and really build deeper relationships with everybody. So, I think that that really helps on and off the floor. It’s important that we’re connected while we’re dancing,” said Wornson.
Anyone who has been involved in sports knows competition day can feel very stressful. The pressure of wanting to perform well can consume the day, making it nerve-racking and difficult to enjoy. One of the aspects of this team that makes them perform well is they never forget to have fun.
“We always try to remember why we do this. We always think about our why, and our why is to have fun. And so that is what I really try to focus on,” said Van Dyke.
Taking the weight off their shoulders and keeping fun at the center of competition days is crucial to leading the dancers to the top.
With numerous practices, competition days and half-time shows, the dance team has made an abundance of memories together this year.
“My favorite moment from this year has been when we won, and then we won again. It was really just a testament to how well we work together and how hard we’ve worked this summer and the rest of the season,” said Wornson.
Of course, winning is not everything, and it can be easy to lose sight of what is most important. For Van Dyke, encouraging the team to focus on the journey and not the destination keeps them focused on enjoying the time they get to spend together.
“We’re having fun and we’re together, so it doesn’t really matter if we win or lose. We’re doing it because we love dancing and we love each other,” said Wornson.
This record-breaking team has worked hard for months to achieve this level of success. Bonding together and creating trusting relationships is what makes them thrive. From early morning practices to weekend competitions, they pick each other up and never slack. What sets this team apart from the rest is their genuine love and care for their teammates. Having those deep connections on and off the floor have led them to victory time after time.
