For the annual Spring Show, the Stars dance team and this year’s dance classes took the stage for two days, to perform for friends, family, teachers and the student body.
“It’s definitely a lot of work and you get really tired during it, but it’s so fun,” senior Lt. Sydney Schwartz said. “It’s like the last time you’ll ever be dancing with these people again, so it’s really bittersweet.”
Something that Stars coach and dance teacher Bethany Tomlin did differently this year was include her dance classes in the Spring show, rather than just have the Stars perform.
“I think we worked a lot for it,” freshman Deetya Jayachandran said. “[When we were told we were participating] I was really shocked because Dance 1 last year didn’t do it. I was excited and ready to prepare for it.”
Preparation for the show required the dancers to spend long hours together. Many grew closer due to this.
“Before rehearsals we were all together in the black box, and we were having fun talking,” Jayachandran said. “I’ve made a lot of new friends from this dance performance, and I’ve become more open and more extroverted.”
For seniors, the Spring Show was the last time they danced with the team. Schwartz reflects on her time on Stars.
“I’m definitely bittersweet about leaving this chapter of my life behind, because Stars has been such a big part of my life,” Schwartz said. “It’s shaped me into the person I am today.While I’m really sad to be leaving all these people, I’m so excited to see what the future holds.”
Similar to Schwartz’s feelings about leaving the team, senior Yusra Zaman is emotional about leaving her position as a team manager next year.
“I was bawling at the Spring Show, and I think that says a lot,” Zaman said. “Even though I was manager just for this past year, I built a relationship with so many of the girls so quickly on the team. I’ll cherish the memories for a very long time.”
Next year, juniors Kynnedy Ratliff and Brooke Blair will take over as Stars managers, helping the team behind the scenes.
“Being manager for Stars was one way to take my love of dance and helping people and putting it together,” Ratliff said.
The dance community has taught members and managers about utilizing a positive perspective during difficult times.
“Every single girl on the team and Ms. Tomlin are all very energetic and very encouraging to each other, which I think is so nice to see,” Zaman said. “Even when we’re all very stressed or it’s competition season, everyone’s just so encouraging to each other. I think that’s what I’ll take with me, just learning how to be energetic even in situations when you’re not feeling the best.”
