Photo by Courtesy Photo

During their duet, juniors Avrie Melby and Blakely Copeland dance to Mr. Blue Sky. The two practiced for eight months before competing at Encore Performing Arts Showcase.

Music fills the air as dancers glide over the smooth, marley floor. Though they feel tired, they continue to push themselves and strive for a great run through. During the 2025-26 school year, many students, such as junior Avrie Melby and sophomore Simone Asake, participated in dance teams outside of school. 

“[The way] dance makes me feel depends on the day,” Asake said. “[Dance] makes me feel good when I’m expressing my emotion, especially when performing. Dances in art form — you can express emotions in different ways. Some people just don’t have the outlet to and I’m so thankful that I’m able to express my feelings in a way that can connect to an audience.”

Asake dances at The Movement Dance Academy while also participating in choir and theater at school. There are several other dance studios throughout Mansfield, including Stagedoor Dance Centre, Motiv8ion Dance and Dream Dance Conservatory, all of which Legacy students attend. 

“Dance has been a big part of my life,” Asake said. “It’s my outlet and my comfort where I find my community and family.”

Dance allows connections to be made beyond the studio. Between the 12-hour days spent in cramped convention centers, week-long conventions and hours spent together beyond practice, competitive dancers often find deep and meaningful connections with their teammates.

“The best part of dance is getting together after recitals or competitions,” Asake said. “You get core memories of your last time doing those dances. It’s sentimental and emotional. It brings everyone together.”

Dance studios work with hundreds of students throughout the week, allowing for a diverse array of individuals to come together, connect and share their passion for dance.

“I enjoy being able to express myself and the community that is built within dance,” Melby said. I love dancing with them, and I love being able to express myself to them and with them.”

Studios often require students to spend between three and five hours every day rehearsing. Dancing outside of school requires students to find a balance between school activities and dance practices. 

“If I didn’t have dance, I wouldn’t be who I am today,” Melby said. “I wouldn’t be as smart, kind and well-balanced, and so dance as a whole is significant to me.”

The time spent dancing allows students to feel a deep connection with the art. This causes students such as Melby to feel the importance of dance and to budget their time between all activities they participate in.

“Dance has taught me many things, like time management and resilience,” Melby said. “Dance has taught me how to discipline myself so I can better myself and have building blocks to build off of once I graduate and be able to be a functioning member of society with others.”

Learning how to manage time and work with other people to create a clean dance to demonstrate onstage causes students such as Asake and Melby to feel as if they are being taught skills that impact them throughout their lives.

“Dance has taught me work ethic, being there for your team, fighting when you don’t want to and stamina,” Asake said. “I do believe that everything that Dance has taught me throughout my whole life I can use for the workplace.”