Dancing Toward Destiny: The Road to Nationals

Dance Force will compete in the USA Dance Nationals, taking place at the Anaheim Convention Center on March 22nd and 23rd.

By Piper Figallo

Throughout the year, Dance Force members have been participating in competitions that help prepare them for nationals.

Sadie Hemphill, ‘25, says, “We have gone to a lot of competitions and try to improve each time, and in the past few weeks we have been cleaning up our dances, rehearsing, making changes, and practicing a lot.”

Hemphill adds, “It is everyone in the country, so a lot of dance teams will be there and it’s a really big deal, so we have been practicing a lot and hope to do good.”

Not only is Dance Force preparing for nationals, but they are also getting ready for the dance show which will take place in a few weeks after spring break.

Hemphill says, “We are trying to balance finishing our dances for the dance show and working on our competition routine, so it’s a time crunch but we have been doing pretty good.”

Hemphill is looking forward to nationals and says, “It’s just really fun to be there [at nationals] and everyone is excited and hyped.”

She adds, “Even if we do not win, everyone still has fun and we are all really proud of ourselves.”

Member of Dance Force, Piper Lambert, ‘24, highlights all of the effort Dance Force puts into preparing for nationals.

Lambert says, “Starting in June, and July, we train all year perfecting our comp dances.”

The preparation for nationals includes choreographers spending many hours at Redwood teaching dancers. The Dance Force members also train by doing push-ups and cardio to perfect their performance at nationals. 

With a big event such as nationals coming up, Dance Force is very supportive of each other.

Lambert says, “We all want the same goal, so we just come together and hype each other up because we want what is best for all of us.”

At nationals, the Redwood Dance Force will be competing with other strong schools.

Lambert says, “I think honestly, the most challenging aspect is the mind game.”

Lambert elaborates and adds, “Because yes, there’s a lot of good schools and really strong competition who have been dancing together since they were babies. But for us, it’s all about a mindset. And if we have the mindset that we’re going to win, we have to go into it and achieve that.”

This huge competition can be nerve-racking for many dancers. 

Lambert says, “Everyone deals with their nerves a little differently. Some people go over the dance over and over and over again, but I have headphones, and I’m blocked out and I am just locked in and can’t talk to anybody because I get so stressed out.”

Lambert is also excited about nationals and says, “I’m really looking forward to seeing how our solos are going to do.”

She adds, “I’m proud of all of our soloists because they’ve been working really hard, and this is the farthest Redwood has ever gone so I really hope one of them wins.”

Lambert’s love for dance comes from the inspiration of her older sister. 

She says, “My sister is three years older than me, and I would always run into her dance classes, so my mom then put me into dance.”

Lambert adds, “She was on Dance Force too, and I always just wanted to be like my sister and I saw how much she loved it.”

Savannah Vargas, ‘24, shares the journey for this upcoming competition and her feelings about going to nationals.

Leading up to nationals, Vargas says, “We usually do a lot of afterschool practices to make sure we’re ready and prepared.”

To practice for his competition, Vargas says, “We get into groups of dancers and sometimes half of us will be split up, we’ll watch to make sure like everything’s right and correct and all together”

Vargas explains that the obstacles faced when competing at nationals are mostly mental. Vargas says, “We’re ready and we’re prepared, and we know we can do it, but it’s a matter of just getting in the zone.”

Vargas adds, “We cheer each other on and get our energies up so we’re ready to perform and we feel good about it.”

Vargas is confident in her team and has high hopes for nationals. She says, “It would be great to get the top three with any of our dances, and I feel like we could with some of them.”

Vargas adds, “I’m hoping we do good in our dances and we score well.”

Vargas is most looking forward to the pom dance.

She says, “It’s very tiring and hard, but it’s super fun and I think the crowd will love it.”

Vargas has always had a passion for dancing, which is the reason why she joined Dance Force.

She says, “I’ve just always loved dancing, and I knew that when I was going to Redwood I really wanted to try out for the dance team because it sounded so fun and it’s a good way to make friends and get involved in school.”

Marileigh Coon, ‘25, is excited to be working with her team at nationals and having fun with the dances.

Coon says, “We have worked all year for this so it is a big deal for us. It does not matter how good or bad we do, we just do it together.”

Coon’s favorite routine at nationals is the pom dance. She says, “It is the first year that Dance Force has ever competed in Pom.”

Coon elaborates on this dance and says, “We learned it at the beginning of the year. It’s really hard but it is really fun. We’ve worked on it so much and I’m really excited to see how it does.”

With nationals bringing up feelings of nervousness for Coon, it helps to have her team by her side.

Coon says, “There are definitely nerves, but I feel that kind of brings all of us up in a way because we are all a little bit nervous, so we might as well put the nerves aside and do it all together.”

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