“1,2,3 Sapphires strong!”  After a long day of rehearsal, this snappy slogan ends the Sapphires’ practice. For older members, this is routine, but for newer members it’s an exciting feat to have even made it onto the dance team.

“I’m so excited to be in a huge new group and make tons of awesome memories,” senior Claire Cheney said. “I have been dancing since 7th grade and hope to continue to  improve and evolve in dance.”

Cheney is a member of Chambers, the varsity mixed choir and Musicale, one of the school’s show choirs. Like Cheney, many other new members of the Sapphires are involved in various other courses and endorsements.

“I’m dedicated to Sapphires, but am also involved in activities like engineering and debate,” sophomore Adrita RayChaudhuri said.

 For the first time in Sapphire history, two boys have joined the team; freshman Joziah Fabian and sophomore Michael Chapman. 

“I’ve been dancing since middle school and am looking forward to hanging out with my friends this year,” Fabian said.

Chapman has also been dancing for a few years, and his talent was spotted by Ms. Scrudder, one of the dance directors.

“I tried out because Ms. Scrudder told me to,” Chapman said. “The thing I like about the Sapphire team is that I get to meet many new people and also get to spend more time with people that I already know. Overall, being on the team gives you the opportunity to get to know everyone.”

Even though they dance as a team, being a Sapphire involves outside work as well, with the occasional morning practices and individual practice every day for at least 30 minutes. 

“We have to always make sure we have our act together and that we practice choreography because we’re a part of something bigger than ourselves, and we can’t let the rest of the team down,” RayChaudhuri said.

 Throughout the year, the Sapphires partake in various events, from JV football games to competitions. One such competition is WDC (Westwood Dance Classic), where JV dance teams of the district compete for judges.

 “I’ve been able to compete in orchestra and engineering competitions, and I’m super excited to compete in dance too,” sophomore Sarah Chu said.

The Sapphires are a family of talented, diligent individuals with the motivation to represent our school with their passion for dance.

“I love to dance, and I’ve been doing it since I could stand on my own,” RayChaudhuri said. “The friendships I’ve built from being a part of this group are irreplaceable.”