A curtain is drawn open to reveal 17 dancers hunched over, bathed in pink light. The opening chords of Ingrid Michaelson’s “Open Hands” begin to play and the dancers slowly stand to see an audience of their supporters and judges.
The dance ensemble class won first place in both the contemporary dance and student choreography categories and received the Outstanding Student Choreography Award when they took to the stage Feb. 17 to compete at the North Carolina Scholastic Dance Festival. The competition was hosted by Durham School of the Arts and featured 17 high schools from all over the state.
Northwood’s group competed with a class piece choreographed by former student Taylor Roberson. Roberson now attends the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and was offered the opportunity to get the experience for her resume by dance teacher Leah Wilhelm.
The group began working on the piece before a string of snow days that kept students home, leading to irregular practice schedules that many could not attend; Saturday’s performance in competition was the very first time all the dancers were able to do the piece together.
Despite their lack of practice, Wilhelm had confidence in the ensemble’s ability.
“I was super confident because of the talent that we have,” Wilhelm said. “I knew if the judges could not see it, then they were blind.”
Even with her certainty in the group’s capabilities, Wilhelm doubted whether she wanted them to take part in the competition at all.
“I am not a big fan of competitions,” Wilhelm said. “I think it has a place in dance, it’s just never been a place that I’ve wanted to be a part of. Dance to me is more about the emotion and the heart and the storytelling rather than proving that I’m better than someone else.”
Wilhelm’s doubts, however, were overshadowed by pride when she watched the ensemble perform at the competition.
“I knew as soon as the curtain closed,” Wilhelm said. “I didn’t need to hear about the other pieces because I knew when that curtain closed that they had done it. It was the best I had ever seen them dance; it was perfect and it was one of my best moments teaching, hands down, ever.”
Senior Skyler Herrick was sitting next to Wilhelm in the audience and felt confident in the performance as well.
“They did it so well and I was surprised at how well everything fit together,” Herrick said. “Mrs. Wilhelm and I just kept grasping at each other because it was so exciting.”
The dancers on stage felt just as optimistic about their performance in the moments following the show.
“I felt so good, because I could tell that everyone used emotion in their movement and worked so hard during the dance,” sophomore Naomi Aguado said.
Leading up to the announcement of the winners, the team waited in nervous excitement.
“I wasn’t really sure if we were going to win,” senior Shannon Brennan said. “When we heard that it was us, I think all of us were a little bit shocked, but it turned from shock immediately to excitement.”
This excitement involved, according to senior Sam White, an inability to breathe. When asked if there was anything she could go back and do differently, White said she “probably wouldn’t have cried in front of so many people.”
The other piece that Northwood brought to competition won first place for student choreography and was arranged in two days by five senior dance ensemble students: Delaney Galvin, Sara Heilman, Skyler Herrick, Alexa Simeonsson and Megan Walker.
“Piecing the dance together was kind of easy actually,” Walker said. “We all got together and we’d just pitch an idea and either turn it down, or we’d say ‘yes’ right away. It was so easy to work with each other because we all know and love each other so well.”
Many of the dancers compared this love they share for each other to a family bond.
“I love how close I’ve gotten with everyone,” junior Macie Skeen said. “Dance ensemble this year was just a great family that I loved.”
Walker believes that the close ties the ensemble shares can be traced back to their dance teachers.
“I think our family begins with Mrs. Wilhelm and Mrs. Oakes,” Walker said. “They’re our leaders, and both of them make us feel like we really mean something, and when we come together as a group we’re just so much more powerful.”
White believes the connection the ensemble has is about the support they give one another.
“It’s a really strong bond,” White said. “There’s some bickering just because we’re high school teenage girls (and a boy), but I think it’s very strong because we’re so supportive of each other. It’s like a little family.”
When asked about next year’s Scholastic Dance Festival, Wilhelm described herself as 80 percent excited and 20 percent nervous.
“We got two perfect scores this year, so we have big shoes to fill,” Wilhelm said. “It’s a challenge we will take head on and hopefully make Northwood proud again.”
– By Lanna Read
