The spotlight shimmers, the crowd roars, and the music pulses through the air—this is the moment Synergy lives for. Fresh off a triumphant first-place victory in Jackson, these dedicated dancers from Tueplo High are now setting their sights on the grand stage of Nashville, where they will compete against some of the best groups in the region. With passion in their steps and determination in their hearts, Synergy is not just about winning; it’s about the harmony of movement and the spirit of teamwork that propels them forward. As they prepare for this new challenge, we take a peek behind the curtains to uncover the rhythm of their success and the beat of anticipation for what’s to come.
“Well it was kinda rough tryna prepare for Jackson we practiced every single day hard and put our minds to what we wanted to do because we knew we wanted to win 1st place in our division and it was some hard teams that we went against so for us to place 2nd overall was just as great,” Amyah Dancer said.
After months of intense practice and unwavering focus, the Synergy dance team danced their way to victory, earning 1st place in their division and an impressive 2nd place overall at the recent competition in Jackson. Dancer provides a firsthand look into the dedication and hard work of the Synergy dance team. Dancer also expresses the team’s sense of accomplishment
in achieving their goal.
“I feel like the most challenging part was trying to get our bodies back into the shape that it needed to be in and really focusing on the vocals and the dynamics, but we overcame it and we sounded really good,” Dancer added.
The path to victory is paved with challenges, and for Synergy, it was about more than just learning the steps. The dancers had to push their physical limits and pay close attention to the finer points of their performance. Amyah gives insight into the physical and technical challenges faced by the Synergy dance team.
“Synergy has put in countless hours to make the show what it is, we work through all kinds of things, and it’s something you have to understand even if you don’t want to be there you have to show up for your team which typically isn’t a problem. We have worked until 10 p.m. every night for a few weeks this year, we all showed up during the ice storm we had being that it was the week before Jackson Academy and we put in so much emotional, mental, and physical energy. So genuinely it takes a lot of hard work, determination, and pushing yourself,” Hailee Spradling explained.
Behind the glitz of their performances, the Synergy dance team’s recipe for success includes a hefty dose of hard work and team spirit. Hailee Spradling conveys the commitment and teamwork of the Synergy dance group, as well as the challenges they faced.
‘So after every competition we’ve done, we have come home, considered our judges’ critique, and changed at least a few small things. However, our show from Jackson Academy up until this weekend is night and day. We have worked so hard to make the show better week after week; we never want to stay at a steady level, every competition we go to we want to level up, and I think we have done just that,’ Spradling shared with pride. The gratitude for their mentors is palpable—’ We are thankful to have been able to spend so much time with what we call our dream team: our director Danielle Ratliff, who works with us on all the things—she is a queen at what she does; our choreographer Nick Quamme, who works with us on visual stuff; and even the person who composed our entire show, Elmo Zapp, who works with us on our vocals. Like I said, we always want to be bigger and better. We like to consider ourselves an absolute unit,’ Spradling added.
‘Synergy isn’t just about winning; it’s about growth and pushing the boundaries of their talent. Every step, every turn, and every beat in the Synergy dance team’s routine is a testament to their relentless pursuit of excellence. After each competition, the team doesn’t rest on their laurels; instead, they meticulously analyze the judges’ feedback, pinpointing areas that need refinement. This could mean adjusting a dance move for more impact, synchronizing their timing further, or adding more emotion to their performance. The process is a cycle of continuous improvement, with the team gathering in the studio to rehearse into the night, transforming their routine from ‘Jackson Academy’ to something entirely new and more polished for ‘this weekend.’
‘Our competition in Nashville is the hardest competition we go to, over all of the hard work I’ve talked about it takes the most at Nashville to do well,’ Spradling acknowledges. The team is acutely aware that their past efforts must be amplified; the intensity of their rehearsals, the precision of their routines, and their overall performance must reach new peaks.’We will leave thankful to do well in our division and very, very grateful for whatever we leave with overall,’ ‘I think that a lot of this weekend will be a mind over matter,’ Spradling states, revealing the psychological battle they must conquer. ‘We’ll talk a lot about remembering who we are when we are on that stage.’ But also remember that we are there because it’s genuinely what we enjoy doing, yes we enjoy winning but we also enjoy performing,’
