Submitted by North Thurston Public Schools
For many South Sound High School students, the past two seasons at high school have been filled with change, missed experiences and loss of expected memory-making events. The Timberline High School Dance Team has had to take an unconventional approach this season, including performing virtually for football games and assemblies. COVID-19 mandates required practices in December to be held outside. Spring brought some normalcy as the team performed at various boys and girls half-time basketball games but every team member performed with masks.
Even with the change and loss of some normal activity, the team has bonded this year and worked hard focusing on virtual competitions in the spring season. The team saw their scores consistently improve, and they recently placed third in the Hip Hop Category at Lakes High School’s virtual dance competition.
For Head Coach Colette Hudson, the year has been a wild ride. “I am extremely proud of this team and all they have accomplished this year,” recalled Hudson. “Being able to have any form of dance this year, especially when last year got cut short two weeks before we got to attend the state competition has been a blessing for us all.”
The future’s looking good for the team, as all returning members have grown a lot this past year. “We are excited to gain more team members and do what we love, which is dance and compete,” said Hudson. “Next year will be a young team as currently we only have one junior and six underclasswomen returning, so we will be able to grow and build our team style and technique over the next few years. We are all looking forward to having a more normal season next year, including dance camp, and in-person competitions. The team always competes in ‘Hip Hop’ and ‘Pom’, but is also going to venture into other and new styles of dance as well next year.”
The 2020-21 team consisted of 11 dancers: Alyssa Aguilar, Alessandra Torres, Celeste Gotsis, Emmely Campos, Jade Bell, Jaelinn Willis (co-captain), Jaiden Crafton, Kiera Wells (co-captain), Minahil Ahmed, Noe Allison and Taylor Thompson.
