Formed just five years ago, the Carnegie Dance Team quickly established itself as a force to be reckoned with. Their competitive journey from small-school newcomers to national champions isn’t just a matter of each individual dancer’s skill, but the dedication and consistency the team demonstrated through the years. CDT’s student-led structure has fostered a unique dynamic where each member’s effort is not only valued but vital for the team’s operations and choreography.
Through the leadership of co-captains and team founders Emma Silverman and Audrey Kim, the team has maintained consistent, rigorous practices for months, preparing for their participation in Crowd Pleaser’s State and National competition. Rehearsing for hours after school and sacrificing time to make each routine polished to perfection, each member had high expectations for themselves to place well at Nationals.
And ultimately, it paid off. Competing on March 23rd against a pool of 30+ teams with professional choreographers, coaches and larger rosters, Carnegie’s dancers stunned the crowd and judges with performances that were both technically precise and visually powerful. Coming home with a laundry list of awards, their victory was not just a win for the team but a triumph for every small school team that dreams big.
Some major achievements for CDT include 1st overall in National champion classic officers, 1st Runner-up overall state champion classic officers and 1st overall District (HISD) champion officers. Additionally, individual student-choreographed routines also received high recognition with two judge awards for officer contemporary (choreographed by Audrey Kim) and one for team contemporary, crowd pleasers award for officer jazz (choreographed by Ella Pham, Jae Bi and Catherine Hu), diamond adjudication, the highest score range and outstanding artistry for officer contemporary.
This year marks a transition for the CDT as co-captains Emma Silverman and Audrey Kim, who were instrumental in founding the team, are set to graduate, along with a number of other founding seniors who have been with the team since the start. Their departure brings both challenges and opportunities for CDT. Reflecting on their tenure, Emma shares, “Starting and leading this team with Audrey has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my high school career. We’ve built this from the ground up, and seeing our recent success at nats and everyone’s teamwork is extremely gratifying.”
Kim adds, “We honestly hope that after we graduate, the team continues to improve beyond what we’ve accomplished this year. We know and trust the next year’s officers, so I have pretty high expectations for next year’s nationals, too, even though I’ll be watching from the sidelines this time.”
As they pass the torch, their hope is not only for continued competitive success but also for the team to remain steadfast in camaraderie, dedication and creativity at CVHS. However, it goes without a doubt, that CDT ended their 2023-2024 season with major successes that will solidify the future of the team even more for the years to come.
