This week, things are different on Stonehill’s Campus Celebrity page! Instead of one celeb, we have 3! The dance team will be competing in Nationals next week in Daytona, Florida. The captains of Stonehill’s award-winning dance team are three amazing senior girls who have such a passion for not only dance, but their team dyanmic.Â
After losing five seniors last year, the team was ready for some fresh new talent to fill those big shoes, which, according to the captains, were filled by adding two freshman and a sophomore to the team. Last year, the team advanced the farthest in team history, advancing to finals and ultimatley placing 5th. This year, the team will face 9 teams in Division II in Daytona.Â
When asked how the team looks this year, the captains replied with no hesitation. “The team has been unbelievable. We’ve improved steadily all year and are the strongest we’ve ever been. The girls work so hard and when you see our Nationals routine it really shows. It’s one of the most difficult and demanding routines we’ve ever done.”
Many may think that putting a group of girls into a closed, stressful environment for an extended period of time may result in the girls simply getting sick of each other, but it seems the opposite is true. The captains said, “It’s so cliche, but the team really is like a family. When you spend so much time with the same group of seventeen girls, you get really close. This year especially we’ve been very collaborative and patient with each other, especially through the process of cleaning our routine which can be very tedious and frustrating”.Â
Despite the amazing team dynamic and flawless routines, Dance Team is simply part of these 3 girls’ lives. Balancing schoolwork, dance practices, and finding time to eat and sleep becomes quite a process closer to nationals, the captains say. The captains, as well as members of the team, try to procrastinate as little as possible to keep everything under control. When asked if they are bothered by the time crunch, the captains replied, “It’s a really big commitment, but we can’t imagine our college experience without dance team”.Â
The captains truly embody the spirit of the team, and have an amazing ability to multi-task, but they are sure they couldn’t do it alone. The captains said,Â
“We’d really like to thank everyone who supported the team this year. Our fundraising efforts this year were monumental and would not have been a success without everyone who came out to Dancing with the Stonehill Stars, our Annual Performance, and bought our treats at the Bake Sale! The support from everyone has been so strong. It’s a great feeling to know you have people rooting for you back home when you’re off representing the school at a National level. We’d also like to thank our coaches, Cara Patten and Jill Eid. They truly are the reason we’re so strong this year, and we would not be where we are today without them. We love you guys!”
Good Luck at Nationals, Dance Team!!
Photo Sources:
http://www.hillrecsports.com/sportClubs/dance/index