Copperettes kick off boot camp for upcoming year

By WENDY SLEDD

Special to Leader-Press

Yelling out calls like an Army drill sergeant, extremely petite Copperettes dance captain Shania Reynolds dances on the front line while watching her team’s moves in the mirrors that line the front of the room. “The goal this year is to be the best we can be and encourage everyone to perform to their highest level of dancing,” Reynolds said. “This year, no one is going to give up and everyone will keep trying.” The grueling demands of the camp can be intimidating to new dancers joining the team. Of the 27 dancers on the Copperettes dance line this year, more than half—17—are new. Sophomore Kaylee Young, 14, has danced since she was age 4 but this is the first time she has danced as a Copperette. After enrolling in a dance class taught by Copperettes Director Samantha Selby, Young decided she would compete for one of the coveted spots on the former national championship team. “I’ve danced for so long and want to go to college in dance and get a degree in kinesiology. Being on the Copperettes might help me get further in reaching that goal,” Young said. Reynolds said being in charge of the team this year and inspiring the dancers to push themselves to their athletic limits will be her biggest challenges as the team captain. “I will encourage everyone to do their best by getting to know each person and ensure everyone is getting along and respecting each other’s differences,” Reynolds said. “I will also work with the new dancers individually to help them reach their goals,” she said. “I will work with them outside of school practices, help them improve their stamina, help them with their work-outs and just let them know that we are on the team together.” For Young, she said her challenge will be to maintain her honor grades while giving time to the team and prepping outside of the mandatory practices. “I make mostly good grades. Certain subjects are more difficult for me like math,” Young said. “So, I have to try a little harder.” Selby makes it crystal clear that school comes first for the dancers. “The first reason we are here is to go to school and get a diploma,” she said. “We are side-by-side with UIL. No pass, no play.” But, the camaraderie is already evident among the team members despite more than half of them being new to the Copperettes. “It’s like one big family. Mrs. Selby takes care of us and everyone else also looks after you,” Young said. “Everyone provides background support whether it’s with your school work, practice or games.” The team spends 8-10 hours a week in practice during the school year plus an additional 4-5 hours for football games plus weekend practices. Is there additional pressure to win the national championship again as the Copperettes did in 2012? “I don’t think there is a pressure to live up to that. Teams change from year to year as does leadership as well as the different contests we go to,” Selby said. “We will be competing in three regional contests this year and the state contest in Austin. So, it will definitely be our goal to be the state champions this year.”