Personal Narrative: The Sartell Sabre Dance Team

Of all the values that dancing instilled within me, I believe I learned the greatest lesson when I forfeited my first love. In my mind, I rationalized that school’s importance outweighed my devotion to dance. In my eighth grade year, my studio encouraged me to join their dance company, while my school implemented an academic plan for me that met my educational needs, which included placing me in ninth grade honors courses. Faced with the truth of the difficulty of balancing schoolwork with a demanding practice schedule, I reluctantly withdrew from my dance

Marie and I had just left her house and were walking to the tryouts. It was a really quick walk because she lives only 2 houses away from the studio. This was back in August 2017, a few days after dance camp ended for the summer. We hurried down the stairs to go inside and kept talking about how nervous and excited we were the whole way down. Once we got inside of Bleker’s, we started talking to the other girls. After just a few minutes we were all taken into the dance room and together we all learned a hip hop, jazz, and tap routine. We only had about 30 minutes to learn all of the routines so we were all feeling a little rushed. Before we knew it, the dance teachers put us into groups of 3-5 girls. These groups were the people we would perform our dance routines with. My group was Meghan S, Grace, and I.

When encountering a challenge, there are two divergent paths one can take. One can give up by ignoring the problem, or one can work to overcome the obstacle and learn a lesson in the end. This fall, as a senior captain of the Sartell Sabre Dance Team, I have faced difficult setbacks that have taught me about myself and my team, and I am a stronger leader because of the adversities I have defeated.

As I ran towards my teammate the wind blew against my face. I had a steady pace and as I threw the ball towards her my stomach felt completely empty, my heart started to beat like I was sitting on a roller coaster, and my legs started to tremble. She hit the ball from the back of her lacrosse stick and BAM!

Our coaches had told us since the beginning that the months and months we would spend preparing for one particular day would all be worth it in the end. Taking place at New Castle Fieldhouse in early March 2015, I competed in the IHSDTA Dance team competition with my fellow teammates and members of the NHS dance team. We walked into the vast, expansive Fieldhouse knowing that it was the largest High School Fieldhouse in the Nation. The anticipation in the air was electric and full of excited chatter of girls who had been preparing for months for this one day… actually for these two minutes.

It's late afternoon, on a misty spring day in Nipawin. Four o’clock on the dot as the SJHL hockey team; Humboldt Broncos, are getting ready for the provinces biggest game of the year. Game five of the semi-finals, for Nipawin Hawks and Humboldt Broncos, scheduled to play at seven. As the Humboldt Broncos are packing up their stuff to load onto the bus, the assistant captain; Kaleb Dahlgren, was chanting the team name to get everyone pumped for game five.

This weekend I, personally did not have much planned. The only activity I attended was a seven-hour dance tryout for the Foley Falconettes Dance Team. At the dance tryout, all the people were made to do learn a dance, jumps and leaps, the splits, and stretch plenty therefore people wouldn’t hurt themselves. I needed to attend this to figure out what team I will be attending this for the winter. After my seven-hour dance tryouts, my family held a campfire. I could sit under the stars and listen to the campfire crackle.

The show was starting in just a few hours and everyone was rushing around making sure nothing would go wrong. The dancers putting on the last of their makeup going through their check-list. “Pointe shoes hair sprayed? Check. Hair hair sprayed? Check. False eyelashes? Not check!". I found myself wandering away from the others to a place where I can get just a minute alone. A minute alone to collect my thoughts before heading into the chaos. My dance was relatively soon so I decided to head back to get ready early. Standing backstage will most likely be the most nerve-racking experience ever. My white dress sparkled due to diamonds sewed onto the bodice. A crown placed in front of my bun made me feel complete. "Listen, you have to seize the moment and stay in it. Use that adrenaline and make this the best you have ever dance. But most importantly, have fun while you are out there. I'm proud of you". With Olivia's words, I get a sense of courage flow me. "Don't worry," I tell her, "I'm not going to throw away my shot". She smiles at me encouragingly. The audience claps and the music ends. Oh dear god it's my turn next. My body goes on autopilot as the music starts. Grand Jeté after Grand Jeté I leap, twirl, and pose my way off the stage; a smile not leaving my face the whole

An extracurricular activity that I have had the pleasure to take part in for the past five years is the Greenwood College School dance team. Starting off as a new and young member of the team, I often faded in the background and followed the instruction of senior students, showing up to practice and doing the dances as told. During my first two years, in addition to being in various senior choreographed routines, I choreographed a dance alongside girls in my grade, an experience that gave me a basis of teamwork skills including compromise, commitment, open mindedness, reliability and creativity. After I became an experienced member of the team, the coach offered me a position as the team coordinator which I happily accepted. For the past two

The day of my tryout comes, and I’m nervous because it’s a totally different style of dance than I’m used to. I know nothing about it, and all the girls have been at it for over a month! Despite that, I’m still excited and I eagerly walk in the front doors of my high school. 30 heads turn to look up at me. My dirty, worn out shoes, and messily pulled-up hair didn’t seem too appealing to them, to say the least. Some of the girls looked confused and whispered quietly with the person to their side. The two captains of the team come walking up to me with a huge smile on their face. The kind that’s kind of forced.

Since the early age of four, I have been mesmerized by classical ballet. Every week, I watched my dance teacher display her beautiful skills during class, and I hoped that I could dance as well as her someday. As my love for ballet continued to grow, my opportunities widened. In the fall of 2013, I became a member of the dance ensemble at the dance studio I attend. When I joined the Pointe Academy Dance Ensemble, my position at the dance studio shifted from being a student dancing in the back of the room, to a dancer who learned how to teach others and set a good example for younger students. To me, being a role model and using acquired experience to inspire and guide others is leadership. My dance ensemble has been my most meaningful leadership experience because it is the source of where I have become a leader.

Last week was such an amazing experience! I’m so thankful to have had the opportunity to dance with all my wonderful 4th period friends and take part in the Fall Show, “Subsequent”, with the rest of the BHS Dancers (including my wonderful big, Lindsey)! I’m really proud of how the dance department did as a whole. I love dancing at Brookwood High School because it’s so different than the strict ballet setting that I’m used to at my studio. It is also very special to be part of something at my school. As a Sugarloaf Ballet Company Dancer, I’ve not had this experience before. Dance has always been separate from my school. It is so exciting to be able to say that I dance for Ms. Ellen at Brookwood High School.

Adrenaline coursed through my veins like a tidal wave crashing onto shore. The applause, the standing ovation, the hit of the drum was overwhelming. The whole stadium was on their feet, and that was one of the best feelings in the world. It was bittersweet knowing that something we had worked so hard on, put hours of blood, sweat, and tears into had finally come to an end. At the time I had not realized how much it meant to me or how much I would dearly miss it. Now that I know, I don’t take it for granted.

All of the student taking the class are beginners and have no experience in this field. But, even though, we do not know, we try to help each other to succeed and help point out mistakes or comment on what we did well. Everyone is just so kind to each other and all the cheering people on just gives off a wonderful feeling to have. This dance class was a getaway from actual school and just relax. School and homework can be stressful sometimes. After this class, we could just work together and fill the openness with positive emotions. We all are in it together! In the end, we have the same goal to put our everything into one final performance, showing we know what we are

Hi, I’m Marie-Claire Meadows and I’m a senior on the Hart Dance Team. This is my fourth and final year on Team and I can honestly say it’s been the best. We have had one of the best years as a team and I couldn’t be more proud of everyone. This year couldn’t have been as exciting as it was without all the amazing people in my life. First, I want to thank my Mom and Dad; without you, dance, as an entirety wouldn’t be possible at all. Thank you for being there through the ups and the downs; you’re truly the best. Next, I want to thank Kat and Carrie. Without your guidance and tireless dedication this team wouldn’t be anywhere near where it is today. I next want to thank my little sister Sophie. I hope you know that I’m so incredibly proud of