The Assistants

Vilociti captain Natalie Miller with 
captain of the My Bad Crew, Joey Geurts.

Each week, the Utah State University dance director, Krissy Smith-Fry, oversees three dance companies, six three-hour practices, 49 total members and numerous pieces of choreography.

She also teaches two modern dance classes each semester, organizes annual fundraisers, and adopts the role of costumer, designer and event planner.

The secret to her success: her assistants.

“It works really well,” Fry said. “I love my assistants because of the respect that they have for me and the respect that they have for each other.”

When Fry started the teams in fall of 2007, she was a one-woman show. Despite a lack of funding and a busy schedule, Fry began the companies in hopes that it would someday lead to the reinstatement of the USU dance program.

“I was a full time student teaching five classes for the PE department,” Fry said. “But I started the teams because I saw a need for dancers at Utah State; there was nothing for them to do.”

A dancer herself, Fry wanted to provide USU students with the opportunity to either continue dancing, or begin it altogether.

Having directed for five years now, she is also extending opportunities in leadership.

“The assistants do a really good job,” said freshman member Natalie Albertson. “They are really motivating and they take charge even when Krissy isn’t here.”

To help oversee both practices and performances, Fry has selected two assistants for each of the three teams.

“The reason that I have two is because it’s too difficult for one to bear on their own,” Fry said. “I choose two people who are different so they can complement each other and make up for one another’s strengths and weaknesses.”

Kumiko Osterloh, a team captain for the Vilociti hip-hop team, has witnessed the mechanics of a well-run dance company since she began performing at age three.

“I have a good feel for how things are run as a company,” Osterloh said. “I am very organized and always have a plan for our warm ups and practices. It's important that we have organization within our dance company and I think that I can help bring that.”

While Osterloh brings her organizational abilities to the team, co-captain Natalie Miller helps to keep everyone motivated.

“Natalie is always telling us to go for it,” said Misako Osterloh, a Vilociti member and Kumiko’s sister. “She says ‘let’s do this girls,’ which always pumps us up.”

Members of the other teams share a similar appreciation for their company leaders.

“They love us and want the best for us,” said freshman Full Circle member Alex Anderson. “They love to dance and they want to share that with us.”

Despite overwhelming support from their peers, the team captains are not immune to frustration and difficulty.

“The hardest part is respecting the wishes and instructions of my coach, while also maintaining the friendships I have with all the girls on the team,” said Lindsey Mickelsen, a captain for the contemporary team. “It can be difficult to be a leader over peers that are both your age and your friends. I try to find a happy medium between being a dictator and being a pushover.”

Joey Geurts, one of the captains for the break-dancing crew, can empathize with Mickelsen’s feelings.

“I’m new to this so it’s something I’m trying to feel out,” Geurts said. “I’m trying to be their friend, but I’m also trying to be strict.”

Though each of the six assistants face similar challenges, they go about handling them differently.

“I treat them like ten-year-olds,” said Brett “Soda” George, the second captain for the break-dancing crew. “I try to keep them moving from one thing to the next, or else they will get left behind.”

While George struggles to maintain attention, Mickelsen works to reassure individuality.

“I want all the girls to feel like they play a unique role in the team and that even though I am an assistant, I am no more important than the rest of them,” Mickelsen said.

Though Fry has selectively designated two captains for each team, there are numerous unnamed leaders on each company.

“I think every person on the team has something special to offer,” Mickelsen said. “Those future captains will be the ones that show effective leadership skills and have earned the respect of the peers as well as our coach Krissy.”