Showstoppers is our fall dance group that performs for the football home games and 1 or 2 home soccer game halftimes. It may seem similar to the cheerleading team, but they are very different. The Showstoppers are a dance team that focuses on kicks, leaps, turns, and dance choreography, while cheerleaders focus on lifts, jumps, and chants. We’re going to take a look into what a season looks and feels like for these athletes.

Many different dances come from many different places. Kickline, jazz, and hiphop are all styles they focus on, so here is where they come from. Kickline sparked in the early and mid 1900’s. Broadway performances of the “Rockettes” have some of the most memorable features of this style. Jazz started from a fusion of traditional African dances that later evolved American culture through music. Hiphop started in the Bronx, New York City, in the 1970’s as a expression of empowerment; this style has a very prominent role in all of dance culture with it branching off from dance and leading to art forms like graffiti, DJ, rapping, and breakdancing.

To focus on dance you have to pay attention to the “pop-culture” in your life and generation that reflects how people dance. Music, movies, and stories can reflect in the way you dance. Hip-hop dance can reflect 2000s rap and movies. Ballet can reflect classical music and tell a deep story without talking. Music and movies also connects you to the story or feeling you want to tell while dancing.

Every year the team accepts around 60 people from all four grades (9th-12th). The team formations are organized during games by seniority. All seniors are at the front closest to the home stands, juniors behind them and then sophomores, and finally freshmen at the back closest to the field. The season is about 10 weeks long. Auditions are hosted late may for people who have never auditioned for the team. Once you audition the first time you don’t have to again from sophomore to senior year.

All of the sports, clubs, and classes here at WHS give everyone a community. Sports build team work, clubs build unity in interest, and classes make connections to friends. Riya Baride said that she joined Showstoppers because she loves to dance and it offers opportunities to make new friends and be a part of the school. English teacher Mr. Zylla, when asked about how when he was in high school how the sports and clubs he did affected his high school career, said that student council and football helped him find the right group of people who shared interests with him and didn’t care about popularity but were just genuinely respectful.

Four people on the team were asked about their favorite highlights so far from being on the team. Maizie Witzany, 9th grade, said that the team dinners and performing at halftime shows was her highlight. Riya Baride, 10th grade, said that doing Sweet Caroline at football games is her favorite part of the games. She also said that “themed Wednesdays are [her] favorite memories from being on the team”. On Wednesdays, there is a themed outfit that team members participate in. Western/cowboy, beach, and color are some of the recent themes that have happened. Lila Bullinger, 10th grade, said “I like to perform at games and I’ve made a bunch of new friends”. Kaitlin Jensen, 11th grade, said that her favorite part is sitting on the boxes on the sidelines during the games. Most of these highlights follow the theme of building a community in school.

While dance can be very fun for many, it does propose some setbacks for young athletes. Injuries like ankle sprains, tendinitis, and stress fractures. Knee injuries like patellofemoral pain syndrome, and cartilage damage can also happen.

More major problems can cause permanent damage like hip snaps and, later down the road when dancers get older, arthritis and lost mobility in the knees, back, and hips.

Dance is a unique experience for each individual and nobody’s experience and view is the same. Some people love to dance and enjoy going everyday as an activity that they don’t do competitively, some dance competitively and love to hardcore dance for judges to win, and some take it in as a social aspect.

This is just a look into the life of people who dance in the school for dance team or showstoppers, or out of school for a studio. Overall 26% of people in the United States have participated in a dance class or activity and our school is very lucky to be offered 3 opportunities to join dance.

So next time you see the showstoppers perform at a game make sure to cheer loud and show your school spirit.