The Spot at Just Dance Studios attended their first competition in Springfield, Massachusetts from March 4 to March 6. All competitive dancers from The Spot were able to take the stage at Breakout Dance Competition, which provided a great weekend full of team bonding and rewards for the dancers' hard work.
Elyana Blatt '25 steams her costumes before going on stage to eliminate any wrinkles or creases. Cleanliness on stage is extremely important to the judges, so it is each dancer's responsibility to take care of their costumes.
The Spot alumni Kaitlyn Constantino '21 helps dancers get ready in the dressing rooms before they hit the stage.
Dancers are always helping each other out with whatever their teammates need. Backstage is filled with dancers fixing each other's costumes, giving pep-talks and cheering for ongoing dances.
Dancers wait backstage watching other performances before their number is called. Many dancers have pre-performance rituals or traditions they like to do, including chanting, pep-talks and shaking their hands and legs.
The team acts as one supportive family, which is why dancers always watch each other's performances backstage to show their love for one another.
Injuries during competitions are frequent, which is why backstage managers are always prepared with medical equipment in case of emergencies. Newtown senior Maya Renkert stepped on a staple while dancing on stage, which was then extracted from her foot after the performance.
The Spot's next competition is from March 25 to March 27 in Hartford, Connecticut. Dancers will spend the next few weeks preparing for the next time they hit the stage and fixing any mistakes that were made this weekend.
All photos taken by Hannah Ratcliffe '22.