Basketball season is coming up, Hawks!! Being a big basketball school, we all love to go to the games, but whom are we trying to kid? The time-outs seem to be the most invigorating and exciting part of the whole night. Thanks to our very own St. Joseph’s University Dance Team, we get a glimpse into the life of a dancer. We can’t help but stop and stare at the ladies as they dazzle us week after week, and no matter what, their floor time never seems long enough.
Even though dancing is sometimes treated like a hobby, it’s definitely not all fun and games. What other sports require, strength, stamina, trust, balance, flexibility, and technique, but most importantly confidence? As Olivia Adams ’19 put it, “We have to not only use these things to our best ability, but also use them with proper technique and in complete synchronization with every other girl on the team. We practice like a D1 sport and we have the passion of a D1 sport.” I couldn’t agree more. They’re athletes in one of the most physically demanding and competitive fields I’ve ever witnessed. Each year, they get more and more recognition from the school, and they’re super appreciative and honored by everything. No matter what obstacles they face, their passion for dance trumps all.
The SJUDT may be known as the pretty, sparkly girls who wear lots of makeup and break it down in front of the student section, but they’re way more than that. The amount of hard work that goes into each and every movement they make goes right over our heads. On top of homework, family, extracurriculars, and a social life, hours of practice have to be extremely overwhelming. They start with their warm-ups and stretching, move on to leaping and jumping and twirling across the floor, and eventually perfect their actual dances. I got sweaty just watching them. Some girls were basically on the cusp of nervous breakdowns, which is totally understandable considering they have to bear the incredible amount of pressure that comes with entertaining all of us and achieving national titles. When I asked Cassie Boone, senior captain, how she personally manages the moments when she hits her breaking point, she said, “Hearing our name being called for the first time as Division 1 Hip-Hop national champions was the best feeling in the world, and from that moment on I truly understood that the fight was worth it. So when I feel like I’m hitting that point I just really try to keep all of that in mind. I think back to what it was like to hear our name called, not once, not twice, but three different times and that’s what keeps me going.”
I only watched about an hour of practice, and I still saw a serious amount of bruises. Anonymous said, “Advil and Icy Hot are my best friends.” And the “help me I’m sore” t-shirt, worn by junior captain, Gianna DeStasio, was ironic and almost too real. Everyone broke a sweat. They were doing some intense stuff. There’s also a coach there who helps the team, especially during the really tough parts when even the captains are struggling to stay afloat. As we’re home on winter breaks, relaxing with our friends and family, we have to keep the dance team in mind. They’re busting their chops in the gym twice a day. To that, Cassie affirms that they just have to keep their end goal in mind. She took a positive position on the high demands of dance and said, “Those are the moments when you think like why am I doing this, that’s when we have to remember what it’s all for. One of the best things about dance is definitely game day. There’s nothing quite like dancing in front of a packed arena, showing off all of our hard work and hearing the fans cheer us on.” They’re hard workers, and they deserve to be treated with nothing but respect just like the rest of the athletes at the school.
On a more positive note, we all love the dance team, and they truly deserve our admiration and support plus some. Lilly Walsh ’20 told me about how she was a big fan of our dance team throughout high school: “When SJU came out, hit the floor and started dancing, my mouth dropped. I had never seen a dance so clean, tight, and entertaining. Ever since that moment, I was obsessed with this team.” After sitting in on just one practice, I became super happy with the attention that fans give the girls. That goes for everyone from the dedicated dance moms to the even more dedicated dance dads and everyone else of all ages. Lilly reflects what all dancers should have a high esteem for the girls and an end-goal to be on the team. The I <3 SJUDT shirts worn by family and friends, the anonymous Yaks about wanting to marry the girls, the high school fans, the game attendees who claim they only go to games for the time-out dances, etc. – It’s all for this one amazing team.
Above all, the most inspiring thing about the SJUDT is their spirit. They only became more supportive and enthusiastic as the practice went on and their energy drained. These girls are the only ones at school who get what it’s like to be in a committed relationship with dance, so they’re undeniably there for each other through the good times and the bad times. From the perspective of a mega-NARP, I could only imagine how exhausted the girls are on a daily basis. However, they clap and commend each other when they do well every single time. Even when they mess up or look sloppy, there’s constructive criticism and encouragement.
I’ve done service and been a part of other groups here at school, but I have never seen such different ladies of all ages and interests come together under one common talent. When Lilly first got a hang of the life she took on as a dancer here at St. Joe’s, she was intimidated. She said, “I see how dedicated all the dancers are, and it’s no shock how amazing the dance team has done in the past.” To all those worries, Cassie said, “I think as a freshman everyone doubts themselves for a little, but you just have to try to prove yourself wrong and keep pushing.” Then I asked both of them the question about what they believe to be the greatest aspect of being on the team, and they answered the same thing: the absolute best friends they have made. There’s an irreplaceable and resilient bond that comes with the blood, sweat, and tears. What can I say? They’re a family. Maybe a weird family of girls who know all the lyrics to the same songs and mime the dances in public as soon as they hear the first beat of these songs, but family is family.
All of us here at Her Campus would like to commend you ladies on your work ethic, spirit, and talent. From one sisterhood to another, we love our dance team!
HCXO,
Corinne