“Doesn’t Matter. Get Better,” is the Bomber Dance Team’s motivational motto for the 2019-2020 season. Although last year was a huge success for the BDT, they are always looking for ways to improve. This year, to improve upon their previous seasons, the team has come up with a new, original theme for both kick and jazz, impressive choreography, and most importantly, a work ethic that can’t be topped. 

This year, the BDT has brought two incredibly creative themes to the table. The varsity high kick team will be portraying ghosts in this season’s dance, while the varsity jazz team has a more sassy, upbeat number. Junior, Amelia Qualey, shares her thoughts on the two varsity routines for the year. “I think our kick dance will be really cool if we are able to sell the theme with our dancing and facials. I am also very excited for jazz because it is such a fun dance and really easy to get into,” she said. A similar statement was made by junior, Emilee Burr: “I can’t wait for people to come watch our kick dance. We have never done anything like it on the team, so I think people will be pleasantly surprised.” Due to the fact that the BDT has never attempted a kick theme so outside of the box, new, intriguing choreography had to be made specifically for the dance.

“Choreography was so hard for the kick dance. Each year, we usually recycle a few moves because our themes never really differ from each other too much, but this season, we had to start completely from scratch and come up with our own moves,” highlights Qualey. Although the girls have kicked off their season  with a blank slate, they were still able to overcome the issue and create a whole dance in just two weeks. “It is a lot more challenging than people may think it is to choreograph a dance, especially when you aren’t completely sure of who is going to be dancing,” stresses Burr. “You can’t choreograph to your team’s strengths if you don’t know your team,” she adds. After the first two weeks of practice, Burr explains that both varsity kick and jazz dancers were able to pick up the unusual choreography, and look good while doing so, only achievable because of the strong work ethic of the teamThis season, varsity coach, Chelsea Lockrem, gave insight into one of the practices endured by the BDT. “We will be running one mile twice a week, every week, all year. The girls need to build up their endurance and work on their cardio.” Not only will the dancers be working out more, but they will also be perfecting their routines. “I think that this year we really need to focus on drilling and cleaning our dances,” emphasizes  Qualey. “If we have cool choreography, it won’t matter if we can’t hit the moves.” The coaches plan to push the girls to their fullest potential this season, not only physically, but mentally. “Our coaches are always pushing us to become better people everyday at practice. We not only have to work hard on two dances, but help the rookies on the team as well,” adds Qualey. Without the cooperation of all the dancers, the team would fall apart. A strong team bond is key for the BDT to be successful, along with many other steps taken along the way.

This season, the Bomber Dance Team has taken a huge risk when it comes to their dances. With an unusual kick theme, and sassy jazz number, choreography is arguably far more advanced than recent seasons; however, the girls are beginning to overcome the difficulties with their hard work ethic and a strong team bond. “Doesn’t Matter, Get Better,” is what the BDT lives by, and their constant improvement will lead to a bright, successful future.