Senior Captain Alexis Brown took the stage with her teammates and friends for the dance team’s 2016-17 season.

“Dance team to me is a great way to bond with a group of girls who love to dance as much as I do,” said Brown.

Brown has been dancing since she was three. She started dancing competitively around 8 years old and stayed with it through middle school.

“I stayed with [competitive dance] until my eighth grade year when I decided I wanted to try dance team,” said Brown.

Brown has been on the high school dance team all four years but is looking forward to making her senior year better than the rest.  She has her family, friends and teammates to support her.

“Lexi is a great team captain because of how encouraging she is. She is always prepared to have the back of every single member on our team,” said Briana Ventrella, junior.

To her teammates, Brown has many natural characteristics that make her a strong leader and captain. Because Brown has had an incredible experience, she wants others to have the same as well.

“We are a group of talented dancers who are also super crazy and loud,” she said.

The dance team has come to mean many things to Brown. She knows that she can get away from any problems while she is dancing.  Additionally, dance team allows Brown to represent the school in a positive way.  She also enjoys getting to know the other dancers and building relationships with them along the way.

“She has the nickname ‘mom’ because of how much she looks out for all of us and protects us,” said Ventrella.

Brown is known as a captain who encourages, supports and cares about her dance team. Whenever members might be struggling, she will inspire the team to pick up their heads and do it again—a discipline she holds herself, too, as well.

“Sometimes she may struggle with turns or a small section, but she gets over the challenges by practicing them over and over until she doesn’t get it wrong,” said Megan Hansen, freshman.

Her hard work has caught the attention of her younger teammates.

“Lexi works really hard and is someone to look up to, which makes her an amazing team captain,” said Hansen.

And Brown recognizes that persistence is a key trait when it comes to doing well as a dance team.

“We work really hard to keep the girls motivated through the longer practices and do our best to make them fun,” said Brown.

As a captain, Brown has to balance fun with the responsibility of making sure the team is ready for practice and ultimately competition.

“She is able to be serious and hardworking while still making practice an enjoyable environment to be in. No matter how my school day went, or how much homework I have, she does her best to make me laugh and brighten my mood,” said Ventrella.

Brown has demonstrated she knows that when she gives all her effort and time into the dance team, the girls will give her the same dedication back.

“Joining dance team my freshman year was the best decision I ever made. It has made me become a better person, and I truly appreciate all the friendships I have made on the team,” Brown said.
After high school Brown does not plan to join a college dance team but is thinking about joining a dance club.  Her plans for dance after high school, though, are still under consideration.