QCA students make school history with first dance team

A group of talented students at Riverdale High School (RHS) took matters into their own hands and raised enough money to fund a school dance team. With only a few performances left, their first season has turned out to be a success.

“They went above and beyond and took this to athletic directors and principals, and then to the board – with the support of their parents – and built this team before there was ever anyone to sponsor them,” says Danielle Powers, volunteer Head Coach of the RHS Dance Team.

A high school dancer herself, Powers knew she wanted in.

“One morning I looked over and I was reading the agenda for the board minutes, and I saw approved dance team – Riverdale High School dance team – and I was, like, ‘how can I be a part of this?'” says Powers.

Powers is also the resident school nurse for Riverdale High and Middle School, so she’s never off the clock when it comes to her role as coach.

“If there is any idea that they have they come running to me immediately,” says Powers.

The team started to take shape over the course of a few weeks. Freshman and seniors alike fundraised through ticket sales, blanket drives and even drink at their local coffee shop. Powers took on two assistants to help out on staff.

“When we first started up, we just put out like a post being like, ‘hey, were starting a team, here’s like our cash app, Venmo’, like kind of that deal,” says Ella Sergeant, senior at RHS, and a member of the dance team.

The girls went to work.

“Learning a performance in two weeks isnt ideal for everyone, but we made it happen, we cleaned it, and it looked amazing,” says Amiyah Lugo, a junior at Riverdale High School. She plans to stay on the team for the rest of her high school career – with goals for the future of the program.

The team took center stage for the first time in January at a RHS basketball game.

“The crowd was absolutely insane, like tears were filling all of our eyes, it was such an emotional, like, ‘we did it’,” says Lugo.

For more on the team, including fundraising efforts, click here.

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