This year the Lower Merion Dance Team (LMDT) is led by captains Tess Millrood ’24, Keira Edge ’24, Natalie Chen ’24, and Piper Slogoff ’25. The club accepts all dancers with any level of training. Millrood explains how their team consists of members who are “experienced dancers, as well as some new dancers.”
LMDT’s typical practice schedule consists of two after-school practices a week with the full team and, in order to perfect their dances leading up to performances, they hold practices during Lunch & Learn. The captains all collaborate to choreograph exciting dances for the team which are performed at multiple school events throughout the year such as Amazing Ace, Maroon Madness, the Radnor Week pep rally, and home basketball games. Millrood hinted that this year there’s possibly more in store. Their job doesn’t end there—the team is also in charge of creating the senior dance and the opening dance number for the contestants in Amazing Ace.
Each dance is made specifically to fit the event that it’s performed at. The captains said that they decide the songs “based on the energy of the performance. The pep rally is usually more upbeat and hype songs whileMaroon Madness is usually more hip-hop and rap. We play the songs over and over again and develop ideas between us for dances, with lots and lots of tweaking and practice.”
There’s much more to choreographing their dances than one might think; Millrood notes that “it is a long process.” First, they have to make music mixes that fit “the vibe” of the performance. These mixes can include anything from new to old songs, with multiple transitions, edits, and cuts. Once they have the mix, they begin to choreograph. Meeting weekly at the Upbeat Dance Center, they work together to get ideas flowing. Their sessions typically last a couple of hours, during which they create the dance itself, make spots, and figure out spacing (which is no small feat, considering the size of the team). Throughout this process, they continue to make adjustments to the dance, refining the moves and ensuring that it’s the best it can be.
According to the captains, they are planning to think outside of the box and get creative with their dances and formations this year. One of their main goals is to focus on all of the dancers looking synchronized and connected while they dance. It will take a lot of practice and hard work, but the captains continue to make sure the team enjoys practicing and being together; like Millrood said, “dancing and lots of practice is super tiring, but the people on the team still have so much fun and make sure to put in the work.” All of the captains agree that they have an amazing team this year and are super excited for everything they have in store. Make sure to go cheer them on this year during their performances!
