After a late start to the previous season, Barstow’s dance team is back and better than ever.
The small but mighty Knight Stars Dance Team is ready for the season following their debut this evening at the Boys’ Basketball home opener. While tonight is their first performance, the team has spent every Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday morning since early September learning routines, practicing technique, and getting to know each other.
Team Captain Lizzie Boyce explains what she is looking forward to this season, saying, “I have really enjoyed seeing different team members’ artistic and leadership strengths when given the opportunity to choreograph a performance routine.”
While the previous few seasons for the team have been bumpy due to COVID and other factors, the team is more than ready to take this season on head first. For starters, the team has added three new members this year and started practice much earlier. This has allowed them to get to know each other’s strengths and capitalize on them to be the strongest team they can be.
The coach held two sets of auditions for the team, one at the end of the 2021-2022 school year and one at the beginning of this school year. After those, they determined who was on the team and voted for the captain and co-captain. The 2022-2023 dance team consists of Captain Lizzie Boyce (‘23), Co-Captain Amara Patel (‘24), Jayden Sampat (‘24), Kyanne Carlgren (‘24), Drew Liss (‘26), Emory Pan (‘26), and Story Wright (‘26). Their head coach is Krista Logan, a former Chiefs cheerleader.
The dance team season includes performances at basketball games as well as regional and state competitions, which take place in January and February. At each basketball game, the team will perform a Quarter Break routine and a Halftime routine, with the halftime routines being the ones they take to competition.
The halftime routines are choreographed by hired professionals, but the dancers get to choreograph the quarter-break routines. They have learned and practiced many different styles this season and hope to impress everyone with them.
Somehow, along with the tiring morning practices, the Knight Stars also find time to have fun and celebrate holidays and birthdays. On Halloween, for example, the team dressed up before school (and for those who didn’t, Carlgren provided masks) and the captains led them on a scavenger hunt throughout the whole school. They also celebrate birthdays with donuts or treats similar, and even occasionally have bagels during a Friday practice. Occasionally, Coach Krista even brings her dog, Tupac, to cheer the dancers on!
Between the fun new traditions and the tiring but enjoyable practices, the team is looking forward to what this season has to bring. Pan has enjoyed being on the team, and says, “I am really excited for the games this season.”
While the team may seem small, they still would love the support at games and at competitions. Their competitions are on January 1st, 2023 at Fort Zumwalt North in St. Louis, February 2nd, 2023 at Blue Springs South HS, and they will attend the State Competition on February 25th 2023, at the Hy-Vee Arena.
While you are not expected to drive all the way to St. Louis for the first competition, the team would really appreciate your support at the State Championship. It’s local, and they’re hoping to see you there, and also expect to see you tonight!
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