Weir added a dance team to its extracurricular this year, and they hope to make their mark on campus.

The team started this fall and their season is all year long. They dance at football games, will appear at some basketball games, and might even get to compete.

In an interview their coach and digital computer teacher Kristen Palavis said that the team puts in so much hard work and dedication to learn new routines, even when others are in different activities and exhausted, and still give it their all. It has been such a long process to get where they are but it was worth it. Palavis said, “Even though it has been a lot of work for the students between raising funds for uniforms and learning new choreography, they do enjoy sharing their art at the school.”

Senior Kiara Palavis had a goal to start a dance team when she was a freshman, but due to Covid it got pushed back. In the spring of 2022, Kiara decided to submit a request to administration for a dance team. So Kiara and her mom wrote a letter to the board of education with Principal Kristin Bissett’s approval to send it. The Board of education approved it back in May of 2022.

A lot of the seniors wanted to start a dance team, including Elijah Anderson, who stated, “I really enjoy dancing and wanted something new for the school.”

To get started, they hired a choreographer, Christie-Siorota Jordan, for creating one of the routines. Assistant Liza lee and Palavis created the other one.

Kristen Palavis said, “We both have been teaching dance for several years so it has not been difficult to choreograph for the team.”

The team currently performs two routine, one during pre-game and another at halftime. Primarily, they dance jazz style with some pom, hip hop, and contemporary moves. Their shows incorporate music from Missy Elliott, Spice Girls, Janet Jackson, and Pitbull among other musicians.

Recently, they have also performed with the marching band. They will do two numbers with them on Senior Night Friday, October 14.

To stay up to date, the Team can be found on Instagram @whs_dance_team.

Dance team L to R-Sophia Shafer, Mackenzie Mcdonald, Melina Upright, Ellie Totten, Elijah Anderson,
Summer Ellis, Hannah Moore, Gabriella Spickard, Madison Mcdonald, Kiara Palavis, Melia Palavis, Jaylynn
Jimboy, Lylia Soplinski, Lily Rocknich; Not pictured Arissa Waugh. Photo used with permission of Kristen Palavis, dance team coach.