Cheering Caxys, shuffling feet, pumped players, vibrant orange and black–all aspects of LFA’s sporting events. However, this year there has been an added element, the Cheer and Dance Team,  “Chance.” Chance performs and cheers at LFA’s basketball games, both girls and boys. The team is composed of dancers of all different levels and grades who have been working to create a more enthusiastic atmosphere at the games they perform at. 

   Chance is coached by Kim Graham and Emily Hansesn, but the team is also largely student-run. Graham, who danced competitively all throughout high school and college, said “It is very much student run in terms of the performances…the athletes have done a really great job of being passionat

e and taking initiative and wanting to have ownership over their dances.” Dances performed at halftime are all choreographed by the students themselves with little help from the coaches. The dances are choreographed around a theme, for example Y2K, and students are encouraged to come to games dressed in that theme to show that extra spark of caxy spirit.

  In years past, the team has been predominantly focused on cheer. However, this year, the team has been focusing more on dance, incorporating halftime performances rather than just sideline cheer, which in turn is creating a more enthusiastic environment at games and gets people rallied during halftime. 

   The team is also hoping to grow the number of team members in the coming years, in efforts to continue to develop the ecstatic sport-game environment that Chance has worked hard to create.  The team this year was a very happy and enjoyable environment, making memories for the students participating. Diana Hoftman ‘24, who is a member of the team this year, said the team “made the cheer experience so much better and overall more fun and enjoyable.” She talked about how her favorite part of the season for her was “the relationships I made with the team” and how they overall added to her experience. 

   In the future, there are also plans for there to be a local dance clinic here at LFA that would be open to local elementary school kids where the Chance team can give them choreography and teach them how to dance. The Chance team is on their way to make an impact on LFA’s sporting events and we’re looking forward to what they have in store for the future as well as how it will continue to add to the LFA community.