Chanting New Traditions

Many sport teams have a tradition that they carry on through multiple seasons. Whether the tradition is for good luck or canoeing the legacy, many teams create a stronger bond because of traditions. For the Antioch varsity dance team, there has been an annual chant that had been passed on for decades. Every year each team adds something special for  that season and passes it onto the leaders of the next year. This year the dance team decided to start a new and fresh tradition by starting a new and shorter chant.

“The chant was so long that it would take almost 45 minutes of prep time,” varsity dance team assistant coach Kelly Taylor said. “We blended this idea of making our own path and having a new team so they came up with their own.”

The dance team believes that this chant brings good luck and positive energy to the team when they are stressed or nervous. The main time they yell this chant is right before they perform at competitions. They believe that it is completely necessary to do to bring up the energy and positivity of the team.

“It’s a good luck charm for the team before we go out on the floor,” junior Kelsi Sheren said. “It keeps the tradition with the dance team because I feel like a lot of times we’re so focused on competition that we forget that we’re also part of a legacy.”

This year is different of the dance team because there are no seniors. As a result, the juniors have to step up and become leaders for the team to motivate and keep them positive.

“This year our leader is Grace Rowe because she is always there to pump up and motivate the team,” head coach Samantha Kanya said. “Maggie Quirke is our other leader, the chant ends with her going around and giving a fist bump to each member of the team.”

This dance chant has been added to and changed through many decades. The Antioch dance team is excited to keep their new tradition alive by passing their new and improved chant to future leaders of the team.