Dance team works under professional, experienced dancers | by CHELSEA BIRCHMIER

When people think of dancers and cheerleaders, they often envision pom poms, sparkly costumes and ‘spirit fingers.’  However, according to dance team coaches and former Chiefs cheerleaders Savannah Vose and Deena Schaumburg, cheerleading and dancing are much more than that.

‘Cheering for the Chiefs is really dancing,’ Vose said.  ‘A lot of people think it’s all about the glitz and glamour, the hair and the fake eyelashes.  On the Chiefs we had an awesome coaching staff who drilled us and also taught us to be classy and well put-together.  They wanted girls they could be proud of.’

Vose and Schaumburg heard about the coaching job at STA by word of mouth.  Ms. Laura Eilers, the coach for STA’s dance team several years ago, had cheered with Schaumburg and Vose on the Chiefs.  Eilers told Vose about the job opening at STA.  Vose originally applied for assistant coach, not realizing they were in need of a head coach as well.  When she accepted the position of head coach, she recommended Schaumburg, who then became assistant coach. This is their second year coaching at STA.

“[STA] was different at first just because we both went to public schools,” Vose said.  “The parents, the girls, the school and the athletic directors have been very welcoming.  It has been a smooth transition.”

At STA, the dance team’s season goes from April of one year to February of the next.  Vose and Schaumburg prepare the girls for performances during the school year and dance camp over the summer.  In addition to scheduling and organizing performances and paperwork, they work with charities and plan team bonding exercises.

“We do a lot in the year,” Vose said.  “[The girls] pretty much have one month off and even then they”re training. We”ve gone by what our coaches taught us.’

While Vose and Schaumburg enjoyed cheering for the Chiefs, they also enjoy sharing with STA’s dance team what their coaches taught them.

‘I cheered for [the Chiefs] for four full years and loved it,’ Vose said.  ‘But I’m glad I didn’t go back for that fifth year because I would have missed out on the opportunity to coach at STA.’

Sophomore Lindsay Cook believes Vose and Schaumburg’s coaching reflects the time they spent as Chiefs cheerleaders.

‘They set the standards really high,’ Cook said.  ‘I think they put more effort into the game performances than a lot of other coaches.’

Despite their busy schedules, Vose, having danced for 22 years, and Schaumburg, for 18, agree that they love to dance, and they want to continue dancing for as long as they can.

“Were addicted,” Schaumburg said.  “We can”t stay away.”