Coach Kayla

West Ottawa JV dance team

  Jr. Arihanna Khounsavat looks at the clock; it’s already midnight. She has been working on her turns in second for hours. She is looking at the dancer on Youtube teaching her how to move her legs, but it seems like Khounsavat’s legs are not strong enough. Khounsavat keeps practicing until she feels her legs burning, but she does not give up and will try again every single day until she gets her turns in second. She dedicates herself to building muscle so she can master this step and become a stronger dancer. Khounsavat is very determined to be the best she can, and will do anything to succeed.

   Dancing is an incredibly demanding art form, and dancers often find themselves facing unique challenges when attempting new moves. These difficulties can arise from a variety of factors, ranging from confidence to the dancers’ training backgrounds. 

    From confidence and training backgrounds to muscle memory, rhythm, experience, emotional connection, fear of failure, and evolving choreography, these factors all contribute to the fascinating challenges of dance. Dancers continually strive to overcome these difficulties, demonstrating the resilience and dedication that can make them exceptional athletes.

   Soph. Isabel Niles has been dancing for four years and has loved to dance since she was a kid. She has encountered many dance moves that she can not perform consistently, like calypsos. Calypso is very important to dance because it gives the dancer an elegant way to move across the floor. ” I kept doing calypsos over and over again trying to fix one part at a time, like focusing on my arms and core,” Niles said. Niles would work really hard on being light on her feet and making sure that her hip movements were in place. She did calypsos four times a week, and it took her two months to get a clean calypso. 

   Sr. Julia Calel Jones has been dancing for three years. She is aware of her dance limitations and understands that she can’t execute every dance move. Jones watched Youtube videos to help her overcome her struggle with two Pirouette turns.” I practice every day over and over again. I made sure I stretched really well so I can be more flexible. I worked on strengthening my arms and legs by going to the gym to build muscle,” Jones said. Jones pays attention to her arm placement and coordination, as it contributes to her overall balance. She maintains proper turnout and alignment of her supporting leg, as well as well placed and engaged working leg. Jones is diligently practicing her two pirouettes, continuously striving for perfection.

   Sr. Leilani Jang danced for nine years. Jang struggles to do her switch leaps” I listened to tips about focusing on height rather than distance. I practiced and stretched a lot at home. I also went to weight training sessions, did pilates, and did ballet workouts to gain muscle and stability,” Jang said. Jang maintained a strong core to stabilize her body during the leap and she controlled her movements. She paid attention to the placement of her arms, the height of her back leg and the alignment of her feet. Jang is still striving for a perfect switch leap, and is staying motivated until she gets a clean one. 

   Sr. Ava Zambrana danced for two years on the dance team. Zambrana struggles with her leaps despite numerous attempts. “ I didn’t give up, even when I really wanted to. I told myself ‘if I give up now I’m never going to learn, it doesn’t matter how many times I mess up, I have to keep going.’” Zambrana dedicated herself to constant practice, seizing every opportunity to enhance her leg strength. She focused on achieving flawless foot alignment and maximizing the height of her back leg. She ensures that her body is properly aligned throughout the leap. She coordinates her arms and upper body movements to complement the leap. Zambrana also works really hard on landing softly and smoothly to minimize impact on her joints.

   Sr. Jenna Heck has danced for 14 years. After 14 years of dancing, she possesses a deep understanding of dance, knowing both her strengths and limitations, reflecting a dance expertise far beyond her years. Heck had struggled to do her firebird perfectly every time. “ I overcame this struggle by lots and lots of practicing . I had to learn it quickly, and I would ask for help from my coaches. I learned how to do a firebird after a couple of weeks of hard determination,” Heck said. Heck strengthened her leg and core muscles and worked on her flexibility through regular stretching exercises. She made sure she has a solid foundation in ballet technique, including proper posture, turnout, and alignment. She also made sure she kept her hips and soldiers square during the turn.  

   Dancers overcome struggles in dance moves through persistent practice, refining their technique, and seeking guidance from experienced instructors . They also focus on improving their strength, flexibility, and balance to master challenging movements. Resilience plays a crucial role as dancers push through frustrations and setbacks to ultimately achieve challenging dance movements.