Preparations for contest season are underway for the Red Rhythm Dance Team with the face-to-face contest set for Feb. 13 and Feb. 27 for the virtual competition. 

“There is not much change besides breaking into separate days like it might be Thursday, Friday, Saturday and small groups are coming up, then studios, and then drill teams,” Director Nicole Nothe said. “For virtual, you’re just submitting a video and the judge panel will watch them and decide.” 

Live broadcasting will be available for anyone unable to attend due to limited audience.  

“The award ceremony will not happen at contests, it could happen a week later,” Nothe said. “Right now we don’t have all the details, but the results will most likely be mailed.”

To maintain social distancing, each dance team will attend on different days to perform for the judges. 

“Usually competitions are packed to the brim with people everywhere where we’re in one school with over a 100 drill teams,” captain, senior Abby Strater said. “It’s just a really long strenuous day of being close to everybody and it’s going to look a lot different this year.”

Virtual students have the option to attend both morning practices and afternoon classes during contest season. 

“We’re utilizing all of our practices and classes, preparing as much as we can, auditioning to see that the kids that are ready to do the choreography,” Nothe said. “The team’s working hard on practicing and putting in their effort has collected to be successful.”

The learning process produced a few challenges as members were required to learn choreography at home. 

“It is a little harder when we’re half virtual and half altogether but now coming in-person for class and officer class make it a little easier,” 1st Lieutenant, senior Annie Tann said. “The main thing is like when we were doing half and half, it was planning what the virtual people are going to do and what the in person people will do to keep us coordinated.”

This year for competitions, the team will be performing a Novelty routine along with Pom and Military. 

“Novelty is somewhat new since there is more acting along with the dancing compared to the dance routines we will perform,” Nothe said. “It’s different from what we’re used to, but the team has been able to learn quickly.”