Photo by Nat Jasper

During school hours the team takes over the upstairs gym. After warming up they run through pieces of their routine in preparation for their national competition.

With toes pointed and arms outstretched, freshman Aliya Warren leaps into the air with seemingly perfected and practiced technique. As she lands on the wood of a gym floor, the rest of the dance team behind her turn and jump in perfect unison. From football to basketball, the Miller girls performances are seen by all. However, the competitions following these respective seasons are where their talents are truly recognized.

This winter season, the team has been getting numerous gold ratings as they head to their first national competition. The National Dance Alliance (NDA) is currently held in Orlando, Florida, in Disney World, which makes planning for the trip itself somewhat more stressful than qualifying.

Head coach Bailey Mann has been coaching the dance team for the past seven years. She says her favorite part of coaching is the relationships she forms with her students, and she’s excited for them to be able to go on this trip.

“It’s something we’ve planned on since the 2020-2021 school year, but with COVID we weren’t able to take big trips,” Mann said.

The team, after rigorously training every day, has entered its state-wide competitive circuit during the winter Indiana High School Dance Team Association (IHSDTA). To qualify for that competition, the team has to go to four invitationals with tough competitors.

“It’s pretty cutthroat when it comes to who does make it to state,” Mann said.

Despite the intensity of the road to state competition, Mann appreciates the commitment and skill that her current team has for the craft.

“I think this team is the most technically advanced I’ve ever had. It’s just setting the bar higher and higher,” Mann said.

Two of these members on the team are senior captain Sophie Millspaugh, and freshman Aliya Warren. This year, Warren and Millspaugh have a duet choreographed by the owner of Expressions Dance Studio which is the studio Warren has gone to for years. Despite the fun that comes with collaborating styles of dance, Millspaugh believes working as a team comes with its challenges.

 “It’s been a little hard to learn the duet since they dance in a different style,” Millspaugh said. “I feel like I’ve learned a lot from Aliya, it was just a bit of adjusting.”

Regardless of the struggles of learning new skills, Millspaugh says she enjoys getting to train with someone she doesn’t typically get to dance next to. This collaboration between dancers is a part of a larger team culture that has made the team so successful.

“With everyone putting in a lot of extra effort it has just made it fun,” Millspaugh said.

Hard work and a positive environment, filled with encouragement and support from the coaches and members, Millspaugh believes this has allowed their performance to stand out among the rest, and the members enjoy the experience. Warren particularly enjoys this same support her teammates give her.

“Their energy helps me get through it and know there’s other people with me.” Warren said.

Most of all Warren loves performing alongside her teammates. The emotional connection between the performer and performance is what Warren enjoys the most.

“[I love] Getting to express myself and leave my heart out there. I like getting to show all our hard work,” Warren said.