Just like diamonds, our sapphires are made under pressure and this year, our jewels will sparkle brighter than before with new leaders providing that pressure. With 2 new dance directors, our elite dance teams have their sights higher than previous years. With new leadership comes new changes, and of the most notable changes are that the sapphires will be going from regionals and then taking nationals head on, skipping over the state level. Another one is that students no longer have to wait until sophomore year and can audition for the team as a freshman. But beyond the changes you can see, the most important ones are the changes being made to the fabric of the team itself.
“They want to know that somebody cares about them and that somebody truly loves them for who they are, not just for what they can do on the court or on the field,” Dance Coach Jennifer Willey said. “But they also want accountability, they want us to be hard on them. They didn’t want us to accept mediocrity.”
Beyond just striving to be the best dancer, coaches Jennifer Willey and Katelyn Dickerson also want to make sure they become the best people, friends, and teammates they can be. Being a coach is to make sure that dancers develop the skill it takes to be successful at competitions as well as skills and lessons they will carry with them throughout their stages of their life. But creating this change is something that won’t happen overnight and success isn’t always measured in the traditional means.
“You’re [thinking], ‘this is getting better,’ but it’s hard to say how big you’ve changed from point A to point B when you’re with them every day,” Dickerson said. “But I think when we go out to the field, we [notice it].”
For Dickerson—who has only graduated college recently and is now paired with the more experienced Wilkerson—it takes a real genuine bond to be the best directors for the program and young dancers they influence. While Wilkerson has had the chance to find her flow and rhythm when it comes to teaching, Dickerson is still finding her groove.
“I really try to focus on getting them to understand ‘this is what’s happening and now I want you to be here,’” Dickerson said. “I’ll probably end up being different 3 years, just being in this position for a while.”
Wilkerson and Dickerson are not only new to each other but to Seven Lakes itself. It’s been a big adjustment to make but they seem to enjoy their experience and learning more about the campus.
”There is something special about 7 lakes,” Willey said. “[The culture at Seven Lakes] is not just [created] by the staff and by admin, but it literally takes the entire community—and we’re just so grateful to be a part of it.”
