Shadow Ridge’s Dance Team has begun this school year with an amazing start. Dance coach, Edith Ellithorpe values passion, commitment, and loyalty in her dancers. The dance team has been performing at Shadow Ridge’s assemblies, pep rallies, and on the sidelines at football games.
Coach Ellithorpe stated, “The team has been working very hard, starting with intramurals over the summer and continuing with biweekly practice; I am extremely proud of and extremely impressed with the team’s performances so far at assembly or sidelines, especially the creativity and the discipline they have invested in their own choreography projects! The team and I are continuously working on conditioning and technique to even out and elevate skill levels. All of the dancers on the team have made incredible progress in a short period of time!”
Ellithorpe shared that the dance team has been putting in remarkable effort this year, with conditioning and training over summer break as they aim to reach their goals. In addition to their rigorous training, she also highlights the dancers’ creativity and spirit this year noting how they’ve embraced the chance to work on their own choreography, all while supporting one another as a tight-knit team.
Ellithorpe continues, “We are planning to attend the Cheer & Dance Championship at Coronado HS in February 2025 as well as the Dance Festival at UNLV in March 2025; additionally we are considering collaborations with other departments like Cheer or ROTC.and looking at putting together a Holiday Show. The dance style focus so far has been Hip Hop and Jazz with a few classical elements; for the dance festival we want to explore a wider range to include lyrical/modern, maybe even tap.”
As Ellithorpe outlines the exiting plans for the season, the team gets ready to participate in fun events this year alongside numerous high school teams. The team remains dedicated to working hard to achieve their goals.
Ellithorpe stated, “The team has a very strong and capable leadership in Captain Jodi Barber and Co Captains Hailey Konys and Kaitlyn Woodard; we have established a culture of caring and positivity by connecting and creating bonds within the team throughout rehearsals and performances. There is mutual respect and consistent support by helping each other learn dance steps and beyond.”
