Expressing creativity can be a great way to destress and relax. Creativity can be expressed through various art forms, like visual arts, performing arts and musical arts. Many students at Athens Drive chose to express their creativity through the performing art of dancing. The school offers two different avenues for dancers to choose from: the Athens Drive Dance Team and the HYPHY Dance Team. 

“I have always loved dance. I started dance when I was two and a half years old. And then I have a minor in dance from App State. So I always wanted dance to be a part of my life. I just didn’t know how. 
And luckily, we have a … dance team here at Athens, so I volunteered to help out,” said Sophie Batten, coach of the dance team. 

The Athens Drive Dance Team is coached by Batten, a social studies teacher here at Athens Drive, and she has been coaching the team for the past five years. The HYPHY team is coached by Ta’Nautica Stevenson-Battle, a behavioral support teacher, and Brittany Morrison, a math teacher at Athens.

“I’ve been coaching HYPHY for two years alongside Mrs. Morrison. I was motivated to do so because I believe in creating opportunities for students to express themselves through dance while building confidence and community,” Stevenson-Battle said.

HYPHY is starting up again this school year, having taken a break for a year after the 23-24 school year. They specialize in the majorette dance style, which combines baton twirling with various dance movements, which differentiates the team from the Athens Drive Dance Team, which focuses on jazz, hip-hop or pom dances. 

“My favorite part of coaching HYPHY is providing my dancers with a safe space—a place where they can be free, have fun, and form meaningful connections and experiences that will stay with them throughout life,” Stevenson-Battle said.

Community

The dancers can find community in each team, bonding with each other over their love of dancing and the performing arts. They aim to foster a welcoming environment where self-expression is encouraged and shared. 

“I don’t know if there’s … one singular highlight (of my coaching career), but it always makes me so proud to see all of their hard work pay off when they have such an awesome performance,” Batten said. 

The coaches of both teams are focused on assisting members through their dance careers and forming connections with Athens students. Though the coaches are extremely important to keep the team functioning and in check, so are the dancers themselves, as they are the ones performing the routines and making up the formations in each dance. 

“It’s (the dances that are) definitely student-led. So they do all of the choreography, they choose their songs. But, you know, every once in a while, I put in some feedback, and they’re always great about that. And then my main job is to help them learn the counts and watch them to make sure that everyone’s on time and with the timing of the song,” Batten said. 

There are 15 dancers currently on the Athens Drive Dance Team, and they all contribute to the community aspects of the team as well as dances. The team is captained by Ava Anderson, Kennedy Shere, and Ella Sterling, all of whom are seniors. 

Sterling has been dancing since she was five years old and has been on the dance team all four years at Athens. She enjoys dancing outside of school as well, at Premier School of Dance.

“Whenever we have an upcoming performance, we talk as a team about what styles we should do next –jazz, pom, and or hip hop. Anyone on the team is welcome to choreograph any of those styles. Many members this year have been collaborating together to come up with and teach the team new routines,” Said Sterling.

Diligence

Both teams encourage dancers to learn how to take initiative through the collaboration and communication required in the process of learning and choreographing routines. Dancers on each team have to commit their time to careful practice to perfect their technique. It builds character as it requires major dedication to make sure their performances please the audience.

Taylor Douglas, a junior on the dance team, has been dancing since she was three years old, and this is her third year on the team. She competes at Premier School of Dance with Sterling as well.

“As a team, we are always there for each other whenever needed. Everyone is very hardworking,” said Douglas.

The team practices two times a week, usually on Monday and Thursday, and performs on  Friday nights at all home football and basketball games. This is a large commitment for these dancers, and they work extremely hard to perfect their routines.

“They’re all really dedicated to dance team, and I think that’s great,” Batten said.

Why dance?

Though there are unique draws for each team, team bonding is extremely important, and the relationships students have made with other members of the team are really strong. The community aspects of both teams are what motivate many students to try out in the first place and to connect with fellow dancers.

“I enjoyed getting to talk to all of my teammates, whether during practice or game days! We also do bigs & littles on the team, and that’s a great way to get to know certain teammates even better,” said Sterling.

Dance has had a profound impact on many people, providing them with a platform to find community within a team and express themselves creatively. There are many different dance styles, each serving as a form of expression, but collectively, they can help alleviate stress and promote mental well-being. 

“Stay open to trying something new. Joining HYPHY is a chance to explore a unique style of dance, grow as a performer, and become part of a supportive family,” Stevenson-Battle said.