Over the course of the past few months, Maggie Walker has been blessed with the opportunity to watch one of its hidden treasures, the dance team, blossom into what is now a well known group centered around celebrating the art form. The dance team, consisting of eleven members with their own backgrounds in dance, is led by captains Ksenia Avrutina, Zoe Barr, and Cornelia McDowell, in addition to its sponsor Ms. Kim Forquer. The team has performed twice now, first at a JV basketball game on February 28th and later for students at the International Assembly on March 11th.

During halftime, the JV basketball game performance consisted of a compilation of familiar pop songs, each with designated unique choreography by one of the captains. This initial performance was a hit, as audience members were thoroughly impressed and entertained by the succinct yet spectacular act. The dancers loved this initial production, as they were each given the opportunity to showcase their individual personalities. Keira Kinnier, a freshman on the team, elaborated on her love for the team in stating, “Being a part of the dance team gives me the opportunity to express my athleticism and creativity through something I love to do on my own time, perform.”

The team’s second performance was for the school, as they executed a K-pop inspired number for fellow students. Prior to the pandemic, the team performed at school assemblies with a K-pop act for many years, and it has since been considered a “tradition” by the captains and other members. Yearly, the dancers would gather around computers and learn the iconic K-pop dance moves through videos and tutorials, ensuring they felt confident in performing the activity as precisely as possible. This year, the captions chose the songs “Fever,” by GFRIEND and “I Got A Boy,” by Girl’s Generation. Their second audience of students, too, was floored by the girls’ interpretation and embodiment of the pieces.

When asked, sponsor Ms. Forquer not only discussed her love for it this year but also highlighted the significance and importance of how it operated last year. She mentioned she had joined the dance team last year, too, during the height of the pandemic, and touched on how vital it was for the students to continue to work through Zoom in order to carry on the legacy of the team. She stated, “During the peak of the pandemic, it was important to them to nurture not only a creative and artistic outlet but also a sense of community among diverse students who share a love of music and movement.” Forquer also touched on this years’ performances: “Overall, we try to make practices collaborative, positive, and productive. Seeing dancers supporting their teammates by speaking words of encouragement, helping one another through the athletic or artistic aspects of dance, and working together toward a goal makes me very happy and proud. We look forward to contributing to the Spring Pep Rally and growing in community and excellence for years to come!”

All in all, the success of the dance team has grown over the years, and will continue as fresh groups of students consistently modernize this one-of-akind, celebrated, and diverse sister squad.