By Emi Gruender
They’re dancing on the sidelines at your favorite games. They’re wearing their iconic white-and-black uniforms with scarlet glitter and lipstick as they tear up the floor at rallies. A small team of five to six has ballooned into quite a popular sport here at Westmont: The Westmont Dance team.
A new member of the team, freshman Kirra Fotchmann, answers a couple questions about the dance team, and where they’re heading next. Read our short interview below.
Hi, I’m here with Kirra Fotchman, and we’re going to be conducting an interview on behalf of the Dance Team. First: what made you want to join the dance team?
“Well, I’ve liked dancing for a while because I think it’s a really fun way to express yourself. I really enjoy it.”
Wow. Do you remember your very first performance with the team?
“My very first performance with this team was probably the first football game, I think.”
Do you have a favorite routine you’ve done this year?
I think it was the Hoco dance. It was a really fun hip-hop dance.
Do you have any pre-performance rituals or traditions?
Before we do a halftime performance, we always make a circle. We usually have someone talk, and then say “Dance Team!” on three.
What’s something most people don’t realize about being on the dance team?
“You have to commit. A lot of people think that it’s just a fun thing that you can do for your free time, but it’s a big commitment and you have to be fully able to commit to your team, for every performance and practice.”
Even though it’s only been a couple months, do you think you’ve improved along with the dance team?
“I think I have. Like, I’m a little better now.”
What do you do on the dance team?
“Well, we usually do a really good warm up so we can stretch and get more flexible. We do techniques sometimes, and then work on our routines for games or competitions.”
Oh, you compete?
“Yeah, it’s in a couple of months and we’re gonna be doing nationals in February. We went to a camp in August before school started. It was called the UDA, “Universal Dance Association.” It was to qualify for nationals. And there was another thing too, but it was only for the seniors. They had something separate to qualify. “
What was it called?
“I don’t know—it was called the ‘Old American-something.’”
NOTE: It was called the All-Star Program, a program hosted by the UDA to recognize high-performing seniors.
What’s next for the dance team other than Nationals?
“We’re gonna be performing at basketball games, like the sidelines, and maybe halftime, too. “
Though the dance team will not be performing at football games anymore this season—seeing as the season is over—they’ll be around, whether at halftime at basketball games or upcoming rallies. If you’re interested in joining the dance team, make sure to mark your calendars for next year: they hold auditions at the beginning of every year, and based on what I’ve heard, it becomes a family very quickly.
