Not all athletes at LHS wear school jerseys or compete on campus fields. Many students spend their afternoons and weekends training at dance studios and traveling to competitions, working just as hard as any traditional athlete.
Students at LHS dance at many studios across the area including Westside Dance Academy, Lake Oswego Academy of Dance, Metro Dance Academy and Oregon Ballet Theater.
Most game days for athletes last about four hours maximum, but competitive dancers spend 12 or more hours at competitions per day, usually from 7 a.m. until as late as midnight.
Not only do dancers have long competition weekends, but they spend the whole year preparing for them, with many starting in early August and finishing in late May. Competitive dancers also spend an average of three to six hours per day, and 15 to 25 hours per week preparing for both competitions and conventions.
Competitive dance is also a very underrated sport, with many not knowing the true extent to what dancers can do. Many dancers wish that people understood more about the sport and what truly makes it incredible.
“I wish the people know about the time and effort that it takes to make a dance pristine,” said sophomore Sophia Grace. “As well as how long it takes to perfect technique.”
Unlike other sports, dance does not rely directly on scoring points or comparing a team to other teams. Most competitions rely on similar adjudication systems that involve technique, performance, choreography and musicality, and appropriateness. There are also multiple winners involved in competition awards like overall winners, category winners, choreography awards, and even judges’ choice awards.
“Dance is different from other sports because the goal of it is so much more than scoring a goal or making a basket,” said junior Penny Martin. “Your win doesn’t come from the amount of points you get compared to another team but instead the ways that you’re moving your body.”
Competitive studio dancers may not directly represent LHS on a field or court, but they are a huge part of the school community. By learning more about the sport and supporting students who participate in it, we can give studio dancers the recognition they deserve.
