Let’s Dance!

When you think about sports, a dance team is not the first thing that pops into your head, but this team is just as athletic, if not more than, any football or basketball team. This team of 27 girls makes up the Pennridge High School’s Dance Team: a group of dancers, representing multiple skill levels, that perform at different school functions. They are known for their exciting performances during halftime at the Pennridge Basketball games and during the talent show every year. They combine a variety of dance styles with today’s hit songs and never fail to put on a show that gets everyone involved and on the edges of their seats. We got a chance to talk to the head coach and a few members about the team, friendships, and what the upcoming year will look like for the team.  

 Coach Dickinson, typically referred to by her team as ‘Coach D’, is the coach of the Pennridge Dance Team. She works with her girls to create thrilling dance numbers that wow the crowd. “If it doesn’t challenge you, it won’t change you” is a quote that Dickinson holds close to herself, as well as the team. She likes to remind her team that every year there are new obstacles, but they have always come through them together, stronger than before, stating that to overcome obstacles you “plan ahead, stick to the schedule, and if needed- add extra practices for reblocking and changing any choreography that’s needed.” She believes in a team atmosphere for the girls, achieving it through social events- pizza parties, group stretching, etc.-, and through different team bonding and learning experiences. Teamwork is a core tenet in the team; listening to and respecting individual opinions, making sure that everyone celebrates and rewards individuality within the team, and that everyone has a constant focus on achieving excellent teamwork. Throughout it all, Dickinson makes sure to never lose sight of the team’s true aim, to “show off what amazing dancers we have in this school and program”. 

 The novel coronavirus took the world by storm, seemingly stopping time. The dance team running into several obstacles themselves, after getting shut down for a few weeks in the fall and beginning practices two months behind schedule. With the upcoming season being in question, they held practices over Zoom and communication was encouraged between the girls to keep up the team spirit. The team also hit a wall when it came to performances. There were less of them and annual events that were typically attended by the team had gotten cancelled in efforts to keep everyone safe. However, that never stopped the team. After getting cleared to practice, they got right back to it. The girls have had the chance to perform at halftime during the Pennridge Basketball games, with 2 recent performances on February 2nd at the Pennridge vs. North Penn basketball game and on February 5th at the Pennridge vs. CB West basketball game. 

 The team this year has hit a record high of 27 girls on the team, two of which include seniors Sarah Kircher and Rachael Hass. Sarah Kircher, the team’s head captain, talked about what dance team means to her, “I love the lifelong friendships, opportunities, the ability to choreograph, and our wonderful coach.” You can find the team on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook at their handle @phs_danceteam. Their performances can be found on the PennridgeTV YouTube account, as well as on their Instagram.