As folks entered the Seneca High School cafeteria for the student council charity dinner on the evening of Jan. 22, they were fully aware that Winter Storm Jonas was brewing outside.
However, they were not aware that the newly assembled Seneca dance team also had something brewing that evening.
The group that had been created just two months prior to the event would be giving its first public performance.
Though head coach Celeste Wilden admitted to there being some natural nerves and jitters, she noted they went unnoticed during the memorable performance.
The team danced to “You Can’t Stop The Beat” from Hairspray. The act was choreographed by Wilden, and the costumes the girls wore were sewn by her mother, Amelia Severino.
“Our first event was very exciting,” Wilden said. “When they finished their performance, they all told me how much fun they had, and that made all the hard work worth it!”
This hard work started immediately after the group was given the go ahead by athletic director Brad Bauer.
Transfer student Marissa Evola was a member of the dance team at her previous school and thought it would provide a great opportunity for students at Seneca if they also had the opportunity to join a dance team.
Being a dancer and having more than 17 years experience in the field made it hard for Wilden to turn down the offer to lead the group.
“I am always open to new things and helping students accomplish things they are passionate about. This young girl had a passion for (dance) and was willing to help get others involved, so how could I say no to that?” she said.
It only took a couple of weeks in total for this idea to come to fruition since the school was very supportive of it from the early stages.
A group of girls interested in joining the first-ever dance team arranged a table at Seneca’s first annual activities fair during Lunch and Learn in early November. The interest level was initially high, with 15 people signing up, but due to other commitments and time issues, the team has six members — Hailey Chapman, Marissa Evola, Hyeon Jung, Brianna McNally, Danielle Romanuski and Savannah Thomas.
Some of the girls have as many as 12 years of formal dance training while others have minimal training. It is a diverse group of girls when it comes to experience, but their dedication is all sky high.
“They all have really good rhythm and have come together to form a cohesive team,” Wilden said.
The group did not have a practice room until January, so it got together wherever it could in the meantime to work on its skills. It gathered in a small space in the counseling center and even practiced every day during Lunch and Learn to ensure the first performance would be a hit.
The second performance will take place at the Golden Eagle Pageant on March 15. The pageant is a contest between six senior boys and six senior girls competing for the titles of Mr. and Ms. Golden Eagle. They will accumulate points based on their scores in several categories such as monthly presentation, talent, formal wear, fishbowl, congeniality and audience favorite.
In between each act, the dance team will perform. There will also be a scholarship collection for a Student Council-sponsored Golden Eagle Pageant Scholarship at graduation.
As far as the dance team goes, the future looks bright.
Wilden has taken the head coaching role and run with it, saying it has been a rewarding experience for her. In fact, she is already looking into competitions for next year.
“This year, since we formed the group so late, we are performing only at these two events. But next year, I have permission to take the group to competitions,” Wilden said.
