East Grand Rapids Varsity Dance Team: Welcome
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Welcome to the website for the East Grand Rapids High School Varsity Dance Team! Our team is coached by Caroly Hofstee and Kim Nicola.
For more information on East Grand Rapids High School please visit our "Links" and click on East Grand Rapids High School. Our athletic director is Mr. Scott Robertson.
Most of the choreography the dance team performs at their home basketball games is provided by Universal Dance Association. Team members learn these routines at summer camp each year. Competition routines are choreographed by the coaches. Please see our "Links" for more information.
So you want to be a dancer? The dance team is a big commitment. It is one of the few sports that has one continuous season spanning most of the school year and part of the summer. Team members traditionally tryout in May for the following year. Practices begin in June and go through February of the following school year. Team members are required to attend summer dance camp. At camp they will spend 4 days speed learning choreography that will be used later in the season.
Dance team members perform as a team at home Varsity Girl's and Boy's baskeball games and as the school deems fit at other functions. We have also performed at the Griffins games, and have been asked to do special performance for the Haunt around Halloween.
Practices are usually two to three days per week for 2-3 hours. Many hours of practice are spent strength training, conditioning, and praticing flexibility. Team members are often required to memorize a 2 minute routine (over 200-300 different movements in sequence) in about 2-3 hours. The good news is that this is a learned skill. Most new dancers will put in many hours of at home practice but as they mature will learn the routines much more quickly.
Being part of the dance team can help you later in life:
Dance team members develop strong memorization skills, which help them to be better students.
Being on the team helps develop strong presentation skills and lessens the fear of being in front of large groups of peers.
The dance team is a recognized varsity sport at EGR which is a great addition to any college application.
We require team members to act like committed, responsible young adults building skills that will be essential later in life on the job.
Team members learn the importance of team work and cooperation.
All team members are required to maintain good grades and good standing with the school to be active members of the team.
We require the team members to be good role models for their peers through our zero tolerance drug and alcohol policy.
Tuesday, September 9
This year at summer camp our team qualified to compete at the national level. As a result we will be traveling to Orlando, FL in March to compete at the NDA Nationals. Congratulations girls!
Tuesday, March 11
Kim Nicola has accepted the assistant coaching position for the EGR Dance Team for 2008-2009. Aside from being part of the dance world for many years, Kim also coached the EGR Middle School team. We are excited about what she will bring to our program.
We are sad to see Andrea leave the program she brought a wealth of dance, and coaching experience to us in her three years with us. We wish her luck, and will miss her.
Caroly Hofstee
Head Varsity Dance Team Coach