Heather Wang

HDC members perform a jazz choreography to “See Me Now” onstage in the Patil Theater. Both teams showcased the routines they learned during the closing performance on Friday.

Harker Dance Company and Kinetic Krew kicked off the year with new choreography and team bonding during a camp led by United Spirit Association (USA) on campus from Aug. 13 to 15.

Both teams learned three dances and one camp combination together in classes led by USA instructors Madison Moura and Sydney Smith. Dancers closed off the camp by showcasing their routines in the Patil Theater on Friday.

“We were lucky to have two camp staff members from USA dance, spirit and cheer come to our school,” HDC co-director Jill Yager said. “Unity workshops, technique classes — just three days of hardcore dance community, exhaustion and a lot of sore muscles.”

HDC learned jazz routines to “See Me Now,” “Mantra” and “Rumor Has It” while KK danced to “Start a Riot,” “Make It Rain” and “Disco Inferno” with three hip-hop choreographies. Both teams also took part in a camp dance, featuring a jazz choreography to “Louder,” which they performed in small groups for the All-American audition on Friday.

First-year KK member Emma Zhou (10) pointed out the details in the “Start a Riot” choreography.

“That [dance] is a lot of really high energy,” Emma said. “There’s a bit of flailing around, like you’re going crazy, but that’s part of what makes it really fun. Our teacher really put a lot of thought into the nuances of what moves on what sound in the music, like the snares or snaps.”

Dancers also engaged in team bonding activities like Hit the Deck and Ships and Sailors. KK captain Nikhil Sharma (12) highlighted these moments spent raising spirits and hyping each other up.

“I really enjoyed the bonding moments and the lunches, because we had the opportunity to all sit together and talk to each other,” Nikhil said. “This is the first time this team has met, so it was a ton of fun meeting all the new people and finding this new energy, because each team brings its own vibe.”

The dancers wrapped up the week with a showcase, inviting students, faculty, parents and alumni to watch.

Although the camp ended, this closing marks the start to another year for both teams. HDC captain Hannah Jiang (11) looks forward to dancing with the team throughout the school year.

“I’m really excited to perform the routines we learn at camp or start an entirely new routine,” Hannah said. “Whether at rallies or our annual dance production, I trust that we will have an amazing time.”

Reflecting on the three days of camp, Yager commended the dancers for their positivity and effort throughout the camp. She encourages them to cherish the moments while dancing.

“It’s gonna be hard, it’s gonna be challenging, but that’s where they thrive,” Yager said. “They’re ridiculously hard workers, so I want them to enjoy it along the way and have a good time while they’re doing it.”