Sapphires ready to shine at competition

The Sapphires will head off to competition Feb. 24 at Duncanville High School and March 3 at  Northwest  High School. They started  preparing in October when they learned their first routine. Freshman Sam Burkart is ready to compete for the first time as a Sapphire.

The skill needed for competition season, or even making the team, can take years of practice and work.

“I have been dancing since I was 11. I still wasn’t confident in making the team,” Burkart said.

The Sapphires have morning practices that start at 7 a.m. through first period.

“The hardest part of competition season is having to wake up early to get to practice and having to get completely ready at school,” Burkart said.

Spending all of this time together definitely makes the team close.

“When you spend so much time together you become like a family,” freshman Audrey Wentz said.

In the beginning, Burkart was nervous that the older girls would think less of her capabilities because she was a newcomer.

“I have become very close with a few of the older girls and I can talk to them about anything,” Burkart said.

Burkart describes the practices for competition season as long and tiring.

“Running the dances over and over with no break requires a lot of endurance,” Burkart said.

Typically, freshmen do not get to compete in solos and duets. This year, many of those freshmen are breaking it and competing because one of the five group dances they were set to compete with was taken out.

“There is kind of an unspoken rule that rookies aren’t supposed to do solos or duets, but I was very nervous that they would be upset, but they turned out to be very accepting considering that one of the group dances was taken out,” Wentz said.

They have four group routines planned to compete at competition.

“My favorite routine is jazz because it’s very upbeat and fast,” Wentz said.