At Liberty Dance Center, we aim to have something for everyone. We offer weekly classes, performing groups and a competition team. I grew up as a “comp kid”. There are many great things about participating in competitions. It not only gives you something to work towards, but also provides feedback from various judges/dance professionals. This in turn, helps you grow as a dancer.
But we also always preach to our team members that while winning the special awards feels great (and trust me, it does!), the memories you make both in the classroom leading up to the competition, backstage and hanging out in the dressing room are the core memories that will last a lifetime.
This past weekend we got the chance to experience BOTH. Our competition dancers (43 in total), along with our Performing Company and many of the Liberty Dance Center teaching team were in Greendale at a competition. This was our 3rd of the season (1 more to go in a few weeks) and it’s so fun to watch both the dancers AND the dances themselves grow.
Teamwork makes the dream work
I, personally, was there a total of 35 hours over the course of 2.5 days and got to spend a LOT of time hanging out. To watch the dancers help each other out with hair and makeup brought me such joy.
To see some of our older Performing Company dancers get up SUPER early (like 5 am early) to come support the younger dancers, made me beam with pride. Those are the moments that they will truly remember years down the road.
That said, it is really fun to win!! And we had quite a bit of that this past weekend. From soloists and duo/trios and group dances earning overall placement awards…it was so fun. Their hard work did not go unnoticed. But the most special part of the weekend was watching our competition team earn 3rd overall highest score of the ENTIRE weekend…we’re talking out of HUNDREDS of other dances. It was such a proud moment to witness.
The dancers, Miss Baylee who created and choreographed the winning dance “Queen” and all the other Liberty Dance Center teachers who share their passion and expertise each class…it definitely takes teamwork to make the dream work.
But the moment that stood out the most, was watching the entire team walking to the front of the stage, in their Liberty Dance Center gear, with their Queen music playing in the background. One of our seniors, Jessica M, got a chance to speak to the director, with tears in her eyes, and what she said is what means more than ANY award we could win.
“This is my second family. I love them so much. I’m so glad to be up here with them.”
From hearing the dancers proudly shout that they dance at Liberty Dance Center. To playing silly card games, singing songs and making TikToks in the dressing room. Those memories will last a lifetime and mean more than any medal we could win. (We are pretty proud of the ones we did win though!).
~Miss Kate
