Five new freshmen girls walked into Southwest feeling included rather than intimidated by high school as a result of being the new addition to the BVSW Glitter Girl dance team.

New members include Nicole Charest, Kate Bowling, Libbie Louis, Lily Inghram and Erin Thompson.

The Glitter Girls have hit double digits and are ready to take on the new year with some new rookies on the team.

“Being on Dance Team has introduced me to many people, including upperclassmen,” freshman Nicole Charest said. “I feel much more comfortable walking around when I know I will see people I recognize.”

High school is a big transition for any freshman. Having other people to rely on as they enter the next chapter of their lives can make the whole situation easier.

“I have met some of my closest friends being on dance team, and I have all the band members [as friends], too,” freshman Kate Bowling said.

Veteran Glitter Girls are welcoming the rookies on with great excitement.

“It is easier to make formations and we make a bigger impact as a team with the new members and a larger team as a whole,” sophomore Glitter Girl Rachael Sorcher said.

The girl’s coach is ecstatic to have new members on the Glitter Girl family.

“This year’s new members have brought our team to the next level,” Coach Erin Fine said.

Taking a team to the next level requires a lot of work. The Glitter Girls spend around nine and a half hours a week practicing and perfecting their work.

“I feel like people kind of realize how much we do, but in a way there is so much more that people don’t think of,” Bowling said. The Glitter Girls have to write down all of their choreography as part of their grade. “It’s not an easy ‘A’.

Knowing how to manage time is an important skill for the Glitter Girls. Dance team requires a lot of effort outside the school day. Many Glitter Girls put in in three, four, even five hours a night at their own dance studios continuing to become better dancers.

Many kids know what they want to do in high school, but this wasn’t the case for freshman Nicole Charest. Charest got involved with Dance Team when veteran members Eliana Stein and Rachael Sorcher made phone calls requesting that she came to try out.

“I wasn’t ever for sure that I wanted to be on dance team before I tried out, but I am glad I did,” Charest says.

For the Glitter Girls debut performance for the 2013-2014 school year they performed at the first day of school assembly.

“It was a little nerve racking, but very exciting,” Charest said.

The freshman have great role models to look up to with the veteran Glitter Girls helping them along the way.

“The freshman all have such positive attitudes, and are doing so well,” Sorcher said.

The Glitter Girls will be competing in four marching band competitions, two dance team competitions and also the NDA High School Nationals in March. With five new faces on the team they are headed straight for the top.

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