The Glenbard West Varsity Dance Team is having an exciting season. Juliet Cline(Jr.) who has been on varsity for three years, says the season has been, “super fun, especially because the Hitters have been doing so well.”
She says her favorite game of the Football season was the homecoming game against Lyons Township. She described it as one of her favorite performances of the year because “homecoming brings extra excitement- from starting the morning off with a parade around Glen Ellyn to a breakfast that fuels the team for their halftime performance.”
Cline, who helps lead the team as Spirit Captain, is focused on building team unity and creating a positive atmosphere. “My goal this year is to really get the team to bond and make it a fun environment,” she shared.
She shares that the dances the team performs for Football season are entirely different than those performed for Competition season. They start off football season with a back-to-school pep rally dance, then learn a game day routine, and finally a senior day routine – which the seniors choreograph themselves.
As competition season recently concluded, Cline admitted that it was “a challenging transition” they only had about a month between football and competition season and struggled to clean both the Jazz and Pom routines.
When asked how Football season differs from Competition season, Juliet shared that “Competition season is different because you are going up against other schools and being judged.” Coach Valdick added that, “In the football season, the dance team’s performances are more for entertainment rather than showing off what the team can do technically.”
Still, the team remains determined and spirit remains strong, fueled by memories of last year’s success, including a 2nd place finish at the Deerfield competition.
Coach Kaitlin Valdick announced that her team has shown “remarkable growth with energy this season”, she describes it as “passionate and highly motivated; especially rebounding from last season.”
Valdick shares, “It was a lot of their first time competing with the school, and now that they have a feel for what it is like, I have seen a completely different side of them in practices.” But they are focused, detail-oriented, motivate one another, and fight through each run of a routine.
The girls support one another through corrections, never settling for less than their best. “They are already leaps and bounds above how they did last season, and I think that shows just how much they all care about the program and the mark they leave on the floor at each competition.”
Valdick announces that the transition from football to competitor season sparks a completely different team mindset and totally structure change for practices.
“Dance Team is a very long commitment when the girls do both fall and winter seasons. During football season, I like to keep practice lighter so the team is ready to shift their focus and take on more intense practices during competition season.” Valdick shared when asked the difference between the two seasons.
There’s a tremendous amount of conditioning and technique training in the winter compared to the fall. These dances the team performs are not easy by any means, and to help them build strength it takes a lot of cross-training. This requires early morning conditioning practices and a full program (JV and Varsity), strength and technique during the winter season.
The teams’ early morning conditioning practices paid off, earning them a spot at state. The team wrapped up their competition season, with an impressive performance at the state competition placing 19th out of 32 teams, at Illinois State University.
The team’s commitment to excellence and continuous improvement sets them apart from others, making them a team to watch. As they look ahead, their passion and drive assure next season will be filled with success and greater achievements. The Glenbard West community eagerly anticipates their continued success.
