Breaking Bad Habits Over the Break

Director Krissy Smith-Fry directs her team.

Each fall semester, the Utah State University dance teams work relentlessly to learn new choreography.

And each holiday break, they forget it.

But not this year.

“It’s always a problem,” said dance director Krissy Smith-Fry. “But this year we’re trying to combat it.”

With practices not resuming until Jan. 10, Fry and her team captains have devised new strategies to avoid the reoccurring issue.

“We’re giving them the music and video,” Fry said.

Though both have been available in the past, Fry hopes to avoid a routine relapse by distributing the audio and YouTube videos to each individual member.

Along with each music CD and video URL, however, comes a warning.

“It’s known that if they come back unprepared, they will be pulled from the pieces,” she said.

Despite precautionary words from their coach, however, many feel that the problem is inevitable.

“People don’t practice over the break on their own,” said freshman Full Circle member Alex Anderson. “It’s a busy time of year so they get caught up in other things.

In contrast, team member Erik Wynn feels that practicing over the break is an obligation.

“It's each member's responsibility to practice outside of scheduled rehearsal time while they are away,” Wynn said. “Just because we have breaks from school doesn't mean we should take breaks from dancing on our own.”

Because each of the members will rehearse on their own time, they will also rehearse in their own individual ways.

Natalie Miller, a team captain, plans to regularly practice in her kitchen, while; Kumiko and Misako Osterloh, sisters on the hip-hop team, will rehearse together at their home in Sandy.

“I find it best to perform it for my family,” said Kaylee Andrus, a returning Vilociti member.

Full Circle member Lexi Childs will dance in her car and Brittany Beecher, a member of Vilociti, will rehearse each night before going to bed.

“Because we do dance as a routine - when you are not here and with your dance family, you let everything slip,” said Natalie Alberstson, a freshmen on the contemporary team.

In addition to rehearsing pieces, Fry has instructed each member to regularly exercise over the break.

“I ask them to do 30 minutes of cardio a day,” Fry said. “I can always tell who has and who hasn’t.”

Though each team member must complete at least half an hour of cardio each day, they are not restricted to a certain exercise routine.

“So much of dance is endurance so we have to do a lot of cardio outside of practice or we will die,” Miller said. “Honestly, any sort of exercise is beneficial because in dance we use our whole bodies.”

With this marking her fourth year on the team, senior Jamie Smith understands the importance of regular physical activity.

“If you haven’t stretched over the break, your muscles become really tight and it takes a while to get back to where you were,” she said.

Despite direction from the dance coach, team captain Lindsey Mickelsen realizes that the decision to rehearse, stretch and exercise ultimately comes down to each individual.

“There is nothing I can do or say that will ensure that the dancers remember the choreography over Christmas break,” she said. “The most help I can do is tell them to practice and trust that they'll do it.”