The recently formed RMHS dance team, made up of students from all grades, practiced and performed throughout the 2024-25 school year at games and competitions on Fridays to build school spirit and team community. This year, they are looking to expand their team, and elevate their performances.
Founded in 2023, the RMHS Dance team has quickly become a rising force, growing from a small group of 10 student dancers into a team of 26 dancers who perform at football games, basketball games, and compete in regional competitions. The team brings together students of all experience levels, creating a supportive and welcoming environment for both new and returning dancers.
The idea for the team came from a group of RMHS dance moms who wanted to provide an opportunity for high school dancers outside of competitive studios, which can be difficult and costly to join. Coach Kristina Sateriale and senior captains Jillian Abate and Maeve Jones have led the team this season by bringing energy and passion to every practice and competition.
The game-day style routines consist of flips, turns, quick footwork, and powerful moves. Performing during half time, the dance team gets the crowd excited with high-energy music and bright performance looks. As the competition season approaches, the dancers have been spending a lot of time and effort perfecting their routines.
Goals for the Upcoming Season
As the RMHS dance team prepares for the upcoming season, they must prepare for high level competitions that are scheduled for later this fall. This year the girls will be performing at the Endicott Invitational dance team competition on November 2nd in the pom category, as well as the Middlesex League Cheer competition on November 3rd, and the MSAA Dance Team States on November 23rd. Both dancers and the coach say their goals are focused on building confidence, representing their school with pride, and perfecting their skills.
Sophomore Kira Tierney has one main personal goal: “To be confident in my performance.”
This aligns with Coach Kristina Sateriale aspirations when she stated, “My goal moving forward is to continue building well-rounded dancers – individuals who are not only skilled, but also respectful, confident, and committed to their growth. I want them to represent the team with pride and show their amazing skills to their peers and community.”
Coach Sateriale’s goal shows that success is not just about winning, but also about becoming better both as dancers and people. Her focus on growth, confidence, and teamwork helps shape the way the team trains and performs. With her guidance, the dancers are learning to push themselves while also supporting one another and showing what the RMHS dance team is about.
With competition season coming up, the team is motivated to grow stronger together.
Senior Sammy Pomerantz shared a similar goal saying, “I think we just need to work together as a team and use our extra time to make sure our dances are clean.”
Advice and encouragement that builds confidence
Dance is a competitive, anxiety-inducing sport. To perform at their best, dancers often need someone that they can rely on for help with new routines or skills. Tierney shared that throughout her time at RMHS, the dance team has been a valuable source of her support. Whenever she encounters difficulties or feels stressed, she knows there is always someone she can turn to for advice.
Tierney said, “The best advice I got was when I was struggling with a routine to just re-watch the videos and keep going and asking questions for the teammates.”
Connecting to the quote above, Abate talked about how her role as a captain has brought her closer to the girls and led them to be more comfortable around her and the team overall.
“My responsibilities are leading the girls with confidence. Along with my other captain, we both make up some of the dances for the game days, and we hold captain practices and make sure the girls are comfortable with all of us. And we make sure it’s a really strong community on the dance team.”
Advice for incoming freshman joining the team:
As the dance team looks to grow their team and get the best of the best every year, that means fresh faces who are just starting into their high school career.
To get a deeper understanding on how the team helps welcome in the new faces, especially the freshman, Abate said, “I know I was their age once, too, and I know exactly how they feel. It can definitely be a little intimidating joining a new program… but we try to do team bonding stuff, and I try my hardest to make the other girls feel comforted, confident, and comfortable.”
Abate’s experience and leadership has guided the younger girls into feeling less nervous to shine and show their full potential. With 10 years of dance training she understands the constant pressure that comes with performing, especially for incoming freshmen adjusting to the new environment. Her focus on building a supportive team environment and growth reflects her dedication to the sport and her other dancers on the team.
While Captain Abate plays a vital role in explaining the program and the motivation of bringing the team together, the technical expectations come from the coaching staff.
Coach Sateriale noted, “To prepare for tryouts, dancers should work on flexibility, ability to memorize a 45-1:30 minute dance routine, and dance technique. Dancers should also work on turns such as pirouettes, turns in 2nd and coupe turns. We are also looking for performance and movement quality and ability to show personality in movement. A final way to prepare would be to educate yourself in the pom style dance by watching videos or taking pom/jazz style classes.”
Preparing for tryouts is a chance to grow skills and explore the pom styles which are new to most girls. It’s an opportunity to get better as a dancer whether making it or not. This being said, all incoming freshmen should note that Coach Sateriale is focused on building a team that not only performs with precision, but also brings passion and personality to the stage.
Coach Sateriale truly believes the team will blossom in several ways: “We hope to continue growing the program’s presence within the community. I want our team to continue to show school spirit and represent our program with pride both on and off the dance floor.”
