The Mycenaean

Dance Ensemble has a lot of school spirit and attends many events to represent Leesville. (Photo used by permission of Maggie Bell)

At every event the Dance Ensemble attends, they have the best school spirit. They always bring their bright smiles and amazing dancing abilities to parades, football games, basketball games, and pep rallies.

The Dance Ensemble began choreographing and learning dances for football games the school year before the football season begins. “During the summer we do a lot of practicing and it’s just a lot of work,” said Kaitlyn Jackson first year Dance Ensemble member.

The seniors take charge and help what the call their “little sisters” (new members) learn these dances.

Each dance for the upcoming football games have been choreographed to the tunes played by the band. They use old recordings of the tunes from previous games to practice. These practices take place in the spring and carry on to the summer. At the end of the summer, Dance Ensemble gets to rehearse with the live band.

In their summer practice, they not only rehearse football dances, they intensify their flexibility with new warmups and stretches. These stretches are necessary because, when the football team scores a touchdown, the Dance Ensemble and cheerleaders stand together and perform multiple high kicks.

While all these football games are going on, the Dance Ensemble also begins preparing for their adjudication at Broughton Highschool and for Meredith Day of Dance. The adjudication dance is choreographed by Briana Elerby, a senior and strong dancer. The dancers will be rated on their dancing abilities as a team.Their adjudication dance is also the dance they will perform at Meredith Day Of Dance. As they prepare for their adjudication, they also have begun preparing for parades. Dance Ensemble participated in two parades, the homecoming parade and the Raleigh Christmas parade.

If that’s not enough going on at once, the Dance Ensemble is preparing for their upcoming concert. In this concert multiple group dances, solos, duos and trios will be performed mostly student choreographed.

Although Dance Ensemble and cheerleading may seem very similar, their appreciation is not. The cheerleaders are under the athletic branch, therefore they get things like book bags, and new uniforms. ”It just the little things like we are still a team but I guess they don’t really see us as a team,” said Briana Elerby dance ensemble senior.

Dance Ensemble is so much more than just a class, it’s a team of dancers who work incredibly hard. Dance Ensemble grows and becomes better and better each year. The dancers accomplish a lot throughout the year ,and bring their school spirit with them to every event they attend. “I see it being something great with the right girls, and the right attitude Mrs.Carr can definitely grow the program even more” AJ Chase Dance Ensemble Alumni.