As the winter sports season is quickly approaching, the BSM Dance Team is coming back with a young team, putting their second-place state finish from the previous season behind them. Although getting second in the State Tournament is a huge accomplishment for any team, the Dance Team is one of the most awarded teams at BSM, and they are always looking to improve. 

With eight seniors on varsity graduating this past year, the team is predominantly underclassmen. There are ten new girls on the varsity team, and six of these ten girls are new to the BSM dance program as a whole. The captains, seniors Jada Kosek, Liv Schmitz, and Junior Lauren Hawkinson, have more responsibilities than past seasons, due to all of the new dancers. “There are a lot of younger girls, so we’re trying to teach them how to act in practice and making sure they are practicing outside of practice. We have to make sure they are being responsible,” Hawkinson said. 

The captains are not the only ones who have to be leaders. The returners, such as sophomore Emily Zagaros, are making sure the younger girls understand how the team works.  “Everyone is new, even though I’m an underclassman it feels like I’m not. There are a lot of new kids I need to teach the ropes,” Zagaros said. 

For the six new members to the program, the BSM dance team is a change of pace than their past dance experiences. Gabby Nyquist, a freshman and rookie to the BSM dance team highlighted the hard work that goes into the team, but also how welcoming the upperclassmen and captains are. “The BSM dance team is definitely more challenging and more welcoming than my last school. Everyone is closer on this team,” Nyquist said.  

The returners on the team are focusing on the season ahead, rather than over-thinking about their past season. With a team full of new and talented dancers, they are as determined as ever for the season. “We’re just moving on and not focusing on what happened last year. We’re coming out with a new team this year,” Kosek said.