Like many sports this year, the Chevals dance team had to transition from in person practices to online practices due to Covid-19 restrictions. This change affected each dancer differently from underclassmen and middle schoolers to seniors preparing to graduate. For senior Fiona Stahl she’s found this change to be difficult as she feels she is missing out on preparation for future activities. Junior Sophie Privette has also uncovered some struggles during this time. Privette is a part of the varsity figure skating team and unike the Chevals, they just do performances rather than competitions, so Privette is missing out on that feel. Both Stahl and Privette are missing the atmosphere of the dance team, along with the ability to clearly learn and communicate choreography.

“I think I will miss the atmosphere of learning choreography in person the most because everyone shares their ideas when we’re together and we can all learn rather than over the phone by ourselves,” Privette said.

“It’s just so hard being on your own, like not that I rely on my teammates, but if you understand something, it’s just easier in person to be able to ask them then and there, and you don’t get the same feeling, especially with dance like you put your emotions to it’s so weird not having them there,” Stahl added.

For Privette, the Chevals give her a sense of what competing against other schools is like, and the dance team also practices everyday whereas the Figure Skating team only practices once a week. Even with the Zoom meetings that are held Privette finds them useful.

“We are using online practices to teach and learn choreography right now so yes, I would say they are beneficial for that reason. It’s really hard to make formations and figure out counts over zoom though,” Privette said. 

These Zoom meetings provide practice of routine and they also help keep up their skill, but nothing’s the same as being in person and having the connection with your team. You can keep up your skill with zoom meetings but it’s hard to grow from them.

 Fiona is committed to University Wisconsin- River Falls and hopes to become a part of the dance team there. The tryouts are next spring and with the lack of the dance team feel she worries that will affect her being able to make the collegiate team.

“I’m going to the UWRF next year, and I’m even going to try out for the dance team and I really want to make it, and that’s why I’m going to try and work my butt off this year,” Stahl said.

Since practices and competitions are put to a hault Fiona has to look at alternative ways to get her preparation in for tryouts. Luckily her supportive coaches Kaela Skiba and Megan Soukup offered to work with Stahl one on one to make up for lost time and to make her feel more confident and comfortable with technique.

“My coaches said they would work with me separately.” We probably can’t right now because of everything going on, but when we get back in person,” Stahl said.