Many people underestimate the many hours of work dancers put in. Whether it’s for practice or performance, dancers are constantly in the studio trying to perfect their craft determined to enthrall their audience with their swift choreography and rhythmic moves. Freshmen Nate Bloom and Lucia Lavallee both began their dancing careers in fifth grade, at eleven years old. Hutchinson Elementary School teacher Jackie Soccodato, who is also an amateur Latin dancer, sparked their interest in dancing, inspiring Bloom and Lavalle, along with twelve of their peers, to join the Hutchinson dance team. It was here that Lucia and Nate began to perform together, and they have continued to do so since elementary school. While most people enjoy hitting the dance floor for recreational fun, Lucia and Nate look at dancing like a sport.

Lucia said, “The dance team allowed me to form strong relationships with my peers and has given me a skill that I intend to use far into the future.”

As members of the Hutchinson dance team, Nate and Lucia practiced five days a week for two hours a day, and participated in thirteen competitions. Through hard work and determination the team went on to win a New York City-wide competition called the Dancing Classrooms Cumulative Competition.

Nate and Lucia continue to dance together, and their skills have greatly improved. They practice in the Manhattan Ballroom coached by Delyan Terziev and Jackie Soccodato in order to get ready for monthly performances in front of up to one hundred people. Their main dances include the cha cha, the rumba, and the samba.

Nate said, “It is very nerve racking, but also very exciting to perform in front of so many.”
Together Nate and Lucia have won many awards from various competitions and hope to continue dancing together in the future and pursuing their unique passions by continuing to dance in college.