Years of training. Hours of practice. Physical strength, stamina and an ability to demonstrate excellent technique. This is some of what it takes to be an elite athlete. It’s also what it takes to be one of the four captains of the Maple Grove High School Varsity Dance Team. This is a team of athletes in every sense of the word. The athletic ability and competitive spirit of these dancers have earned the team top honors in state dance competitions in each of the past five years. Since 2008 at least one of Maple Grove High School’s two varsity dance teams have earned no less than second place and were awarded the state’s top spot in three of those years.
There are three dance teams at Maple Grove High School: Junior Varsity Jazz, Varsity Jazz and Varsity Kick. Routines in the jazz category showcase technical skills and traditional jazz choreography and movement. Quality of choreography, technique and overall execution are what is routinely judged to determine the best. Typical skills in this category include pirouettes, turn and technical combinations as well as leaps. Accompanying music can range from a slow, lyrical style to fast-pace tempos.
Routines in the kick category require visually appealing formations and transitions while showcasing the team’s ability to move cohesively together. Emphasis is placed on the precision of kicks, height of kicks and various kick sequences. Accompanying music is typically up-beat and high energy.
Dance team tryouts are in May for winter season (summer season tryouts concluded in February). The dancers practice together until July and then attend a camp at Just For Kix in Brainerd, Minnesota. Dance team booster club president, Lisa Schutte says the trip to Brainerd provides three days of learning new dance skills and culminates in a competition against whichever other teams show up. “It’s competitive but fun,” says Schutte.
The fall club season is not competitive and accommodates a larger number of girls. Dancers on the fall club teams practice 2-3 days per week and perform at high school football games. After football season, the dancers selected for the winter competitive season begin rehearsing for conference meets and invitationals held all over the state from October through February. The sections meet is at the first weekend in February, with the top three teams in each section moving on to the state championship meet.
Dance team captain and high school senior, Madeline Schutte has been dancing since she was three years old. She began competing at age seven and hopes to continue her dance career on a dance team at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. “We are all super committed,” Madeline says of her dance teammates. “We have similar goals and our coaches are amazing. Being a captain has a lot of responsibility as we design much of the choreography. I also enjoy designing costumes and working behind the scenes. People often have the misconception that dance isn’t hard work. But it is. We practice two and a half hours every day and perform in many competitions. It can be wearing and challenging. But I love the challenge and appreciate the endurance I’ve built over the years.”
Elena Smale, dance team co-captain, has also set high goals for herself. She plans to attend the Carlson School of Management at the University of Minnesota and dance on the university’s Premier Dance team. “Our work ethic is high,” she says. “There is a drive to achieve team goals. And through it all, our coaches are a huge support system. This team is like a family. It’s where we turn to when we have a need.”
“The coaches get to know us each personally,” adds another co-captain, Anna Jergenson. “They are like friends who know how hard to push and when to stop.” Jergenson says that although she’ll probably stop dancing and pursue a degree in math or science at the University of Minnesota or Iowa State next year, her high school dance team experience has been great. “I’ve met so many new people and bonded with everyone really well. I’ve learned to balance the hard work of the daily practice schedule with homework and other commitments. I’ve had to learn to stay motivated and dedicated.”
The team’s fourth co-captain, Paige O’Leary agrees. “The high school dance team has been the best experience I could have ever asked for. I had no idea everyone would be so close. I especially like reaching out to the younger dancers coming up. It’s going to be hard to say goodbye.” Oleary hopes to pursue studies in the medical field at Mankato State University and maybe later move to Boston. When asked what she thinks makes the Maple Grove Dance Team so successful, Oleary says, “Our coaches and parents are very dedicated. We focus on our strengths as a team and try to beat our own scores each time we compete.” Spoken like a team player and a true athlete.
