The sound of the raging crowd echoes across the gymnasium. Hours of practice have led to this moment. The anxious feeling of nervousness bubbled in the bottom of the team’s stomach. It’s time to perform, and as soon as they do, the stress is taken off their shoulders and is replaced with joy and confidence. Their performances showcase all their spirit and dedication.
“I want the step team [members] to be able to truly understand the definition of teamwork and how to perform with each other and not in
dividually,” Shakendra Moorer, the head coach said. “I want us to become change agents in the community, so I want them to be able to do more than just create and perform, but also to make a difference.“
Dancers of the Step Team work tirelessly to bring a wonderful performance to the stage. Moorer is not only the main organizer for the team, but is dedicated to making sure that all those in this team will put in their best effort and never lose their strong teamwork that they have built.
“[Ms. Moorer] She’s really inspiring and she tells us motivating things. She tells us not to give up and she brings us all together. She is overall a really amazing person,” Layla Dort, seventh-grade theater major said.
Not only does Ms. Moorer help to unite this team, but Step Team Captain Ireanna Linder, an 8th grade Dance major, is supportive of her teammates and makes sure that this is a place for them to express themselves and enjoy the different arts of dance.
“I’m the captain, I just want to be someone that they look up to and I want them to
know that I’ll be there for them no matter what,” Linder said.
Linder makes sure that this is a place for everyone to have the freedom to dance and immerse themselves in the quality of the teamwork and community that they have all built.
“I’ve been on the step team for three years since sixth grade. It gives people the chance to do what they love. I’m a dance major and I like the Step team because of the movement and being able to express myself,” Linder said.
Moorer is constantly at work making sure that each member of the team is able to know one another inside and out in order for everyone to be able to truly work together, come together, and perform their best together.
“ I think the biggest thing is making them feel like they matter, and that they bring value, helping them to bring out that confidence,” Moorer said. “ So I think it is important to make sure that every member of the team feels they belong.”
In Step Team, not only is teamwork an important element, but making sure that everybody has fun and knows when to get serious is crucial in order to have a good time and perform successfully. For entering this team as a sixth grader for the first time, this is a unique and collaborative experience.
“I love [the teamwork], it’s very smooth-going.” Aria Goldburg sixth-grade theater major said. “We always have good moments and have fun, sometimes we take it seriously, but other times we just have fun all together.”
Ever since Moorer began directing the Step Team, has wanted to expand it and make it well known across the community in order for it to be able to truly represent Bak Middle School. By doing so, with her wide experience in performing, she is able to extend that knowledge to her students in order to become better as a whole.
“I truly admire our students that they continue to strive.” Moorer said, “They continue to strive, even when they don’t feel like it, they continue to perform at their best. So it’s a great feeling, as a coach.”
In the end, the people within this team are what bring it to life with movement, making it into what it is today.
“They bring life to the team. They bring joy to the team. They bring themselves, their personality. So, having the students that I have on the team, it makes it worthwhile,” Moorer said.
