While many students spend their time outside of school doing homework and after school activities, freshman Kerry Espelien spends her time practicing and competing with her competition dance team.

“I dance at Dance Works KC,” Espelien said. “I’m on the Senior Elite Competition Team, which is the oldest dancers of the studio from ages 15-19.”

Being a part of a competition dance team means long hours at dance practice. Espelien said days at dance practice can range from two to four hours.

“My practice schedule is pretty intense for a 15 year old,” Espelien said. “I dance from around 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Monday through Thursday, and then I dance from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. on Saturday.”

Even though the practice schedule is extensive, Espelien said she enjoys dance because of her team and the way she is able to express a story.

“I like how close I have gotten with [the] six other people on the Senior Team just over the last two to three years,” Espelien said. “I also like how [dance] allows me to express a storyline, and how I’m able to kind of adjust what people think of a music piece.”

Competition days are long and last from around 7 a.m. to 9 p.m., and last the whole weekend. Espelien said there are different age categories within competitions and she recently got moved up to the senior category.

“[My biggest accomplishment is] winning first overall in the senior category,” Espelien said. “I got bumped up to the senior age division, where I’m competing from [ages] 15-19, and usually when you’re at the bottom of an age category you don’t place that well, but I managed to do really well and I won.”

Espelien said when she reflects back on dance, she will think about all of the friends she has met through conventions, competitions and in her dance studio. Espelien said she has many people she would like to thank.

“I’d like to thank my dance teachers for helping me work so hard on technique and performance throughout a combination,” Espelien said. “Then, obviously, all of my senior friends who have helped me grow personally into figuring out who I am on the dance team.”