Parisa Afsharian ’19: From Artsfest to the EA dance concert, EA’s dance team tirelessly trains to showcase multiple performances around the school in the month of February. Brynn Doyle ’18, member of the dance team, says that the team’s goal throughout winter is to prepare for the four following performances: “Artsfest, Arts on the Move, Lower School dance preview, and the EA dance concert are what the team dances in anticipation for.” Mackenzie Lee ’19, another member of the team adds, “EA dance has one overall performance at the end of February which showcases group dances, solos, and duets of all styles of dance from Hip-hop to modern.”
Yet, one thing separates EA dance from the rest of Episcopal athletics; they don’t compete. Dance coach Cara Lavalle explains, “Dance competitions are very different from regular sports teams’ competitions. Everyone thinks the competitions are like Dance Moms. They are not. They can take up vague amounts of time, over entire weekends.” She con
tinues, “Competitions also require a huge fee for each participant, which some families may not want to commit to.”
Lena Bardakjian ’19, a member of the dance team, adds, “Competition takes a lot of preparation and would take time away from other performances. They take months of preparation and would probably require an earlier start to the season.”
Furthermore, competition for the EA dance team would be problematic due to many logistical factors as dance captain Theresa Lemke ’17, explains, “EA dance has competed in the past, but because of size of our team, transportation is very difficult. Also, EA dance likes to focus on the performances such as the Lower school and Upper School previews and the final dance performance. The huge time commitment of preparation for these shows diminishes a lot of time for competitions.”
Although EA’s dance team does not currently compete as a group, individual members have participated in competitions of their own. Lavalle mentions, “Last year, our captains Leah Merchant and Brian Seam competed both individually and together. Competition is within our grasp, but it’s a real hassle for lots of our dancers.”
However, some members of the dance team had differing opinions on the idea of competing. Barkdakjian says, “I would love to compete because I think it is a fun way to display your talents as well as the talents of other dancers. Preparing for competitions are also fun as well as the costumes and awards ceremonies.”
Lee offers her own opinion, saying, “[Competition] would take away from the experience of dance as a sport at Episcopal. Even though we are a team, we strive to bond and have fun dancing and performing together. Also, the goal of EA dance, in my opinion, is to expand your knowledge and try things you never thought you would.” Doyle, in agreement with Lee, mentions, “Competition just is not a part of dance at EA.”
Rather than competition, the dance team is committed to learning new techniques and bonding as a group, as Emily Wingfield ’18 explains, “Dance should be an inclusive team, since it is really fun. Even though I’m not trained in ballet or any other type of dance, it is a nice accepting group of non judgmental girls.”
As with any sport or activity at EA, dance is a way for EA students to get away from the school day and express themselves in a field apart from academics. Lemke says, “I dance because dance is my most amazing outlet. It allows me a chance to express myself and just breathe after a long, exhausting day at the Academy. Also, the EA dance team is an amazing group of girls with so much spirit and diversity that can always bring a smile to my face throughout sports time.”